Some of you may already be aware that our trip out the back in the wilds of BumbleF.. has finished. We are now home safe, sound and shivering, but in our own bed, in our own house, in our own little home town.
The last days of our trip were spent traveling from Wagga Wagga, through Echuca, Bendigo and Melbourne. I'd like to say we saw some truly magnificent things there and did some inspiring sight seeing, however I was so excited about getting closer to home, that I can't even remember half of what we did there, and if I hadn't kept a diary, I'd really have no idea what we did or saw those last few days.
I can related however that the trip on the boat was a bit rough, the road from Devonport to Hobart was way too long, and I just couldn't get home quick enough. I can also say that the surprise was successful and our girls were all very excited and totally surprised to see us walk in the door.
So we are officially home, our trip to BumbleF... and beyond is officially over, and my blog is complete. So thanks for following our story, and if Kevin ever talks me in to another trip, I'm sure I'll be blogging again!
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Outbacking our way home
As promised, this blog is coming from somewhere along the track on the way home from BumbleF......
We left Longreach and I can't say I was sorry to say goodbye to the town. It seemed that even the wildlife here had picked up the negative vibe, as part way along the road and an emu decided he'd wander out across the road, just because he could. Some clever braking from Kevin and we managed to avoid him as he casually trotted across the road and out of our way. The road is in pretty bad condition and there is heaps of road kill, so the crows are looking pretty fat!!
Come 9.30 and I was already hanging for a coffee, so I was on high alert for anything that vaguely resembled a decent coffee shop but wasn't having much luck. At this stage, I was pretty much getting over outback towns, chatty old people in caravan parks, and worst of all being classed as a 'grey nomad' when I think I've got some pretty good years in me still. One of us is still loving the outback experience, and the chatting for hours with random people he meets, but one of us is not relishing it quite as much!!
Along the road we stopped at a few random towns, some better than others. We stopped at Barcaldine for coffee, and found a really nice coffee at a very clean bakery. We were pleasantly surprised with Barcaldine, it was a very clean and tidy town. After Barcaldine, we turned onto another highway and started to head south.
There were heaps of emus on the road. We saw a dad emu and several chicks, but he wouldn't let us photograph them and took them into long grass to hide them. He was pretty clever actually. Lots of other random animals were about too. The wild pigs are ugly things, really rumpy looking and feral as!!
Our next overnighter was at Charleville. We arrived at our caravan park after traveling quite a few kilometers off the beaten track to get here. It was not what we were expecting and with no phone, no TV, and no Internet, can't say I was thrilled with the place. The couple who met us in reception were not filling us with a whole heap of confidence, and by the time I booked in, i was feeling like this was a very big mistake! We decided not to stay here two nights, so unpacked the van, then headed into town to give ourselves time to look around and decide what to do. In town, we booked into a town caravan park so we could stay in a reasonable park before heading in the direction of Bourke. By the time we headed back to where we'd left the van, it was pretty dark, and we had to dodge the huge kangaroos along the road. I was feeling an early night coming on!
The following morning Kevin took a farm tour. This was an experience i allowed him to enjoy alone. I forced myself to stay behind and sit in the sun. Then it was into town to stay at a caravan park closer to civilisation. The rest of our stay in Charleville consisted of a communal lamb spit roast at the caravan park and an observatory tour at night, which was a new experience. Who ever thought I'd be star gazing in the outback?
And so it was time to leave Charleville, and head to Bourke. We were on the road by 7.30 which was a record for us! The weather was pretty fresh -translation bloody freezing. But it was shaping up to be a pretty nice day. I was a bit nervous about what Bourke would bring, but decided to wait and see how I felt once I got there. What the town was like, was going to decide just how long we stayed there.
The trip to Bourke was fairly uneventful, which loosely translated means 'boring'. I did discover though that Kevin does a great impersonation of an emu, a talent he has managed to keep hidden from me for thirty odd years. There are so many emus on this road. Mind you emu impersonations shows what we've been reduced to on the road!!
And just when i thought it couldn't get any more BumbleF**k, we were now officially out the back of Bourke!! We arrived in Bourke and headed straight to the caravan park and got set up. We decided to take a paddle boat up the Darling River, which was OK. The town of Bourke though, was less than ordinary, and we understand now why we were warned not to stay right in the town. We did visit Heritage Centre before we left town though, and were surprised to read about those famous Australians that have links to the town.
The road home then took us towards Dubbo. The traveling was pretty hard though, as we had encountered a fair bit of turbulence on the road and this had played havoc with backs, necks and arms. The roads are pretty rough in general, and i must say my back is pleased that we are now on the home stretch!! Kevin did get very excited as we passed through Nyngen, as there is an Ag Expo on in the town, however it isn't on till Saturday and there was no way I was staying in Nyngen for another three days so he could go!! I did mention I was more than happy for him to go while I stayed in Dubbo, however AG Field Days in Nyngen were definitely not on my 'bucket list'!
We arrived in Dubbo and found the caravan park with very little fuss. After unpacking we headed into town to check out what might be there. We found the main city block and a shopping centre, but Kevin got a bit flustered with his driving in and around the shopping centre. He can drive all over Australia, but give him a shopping centre carpark, and he just doesn't cope!!
Our first day in Dubbo, and Kevin decided to go out for breakfast. He'd been on rations for big breakfasts after he overdosed on them while we were in Darwin. Then it was time for retail therapy for me - they even have a Myer in Dubbo!! I was wondering if the kilometers I'd walked shopping would wear off the kilojoules I'd inhaled eating pancakes and strawberries at breakfast.
So with all of our gourmet and retail needs met with our visit to Dubbo, it is now time to pack up and head for Wagga Wagga. Our jumpers have been pulled out of the cupboards, and the thongs and shorts have been stowed away. We are officially on the way home.
We left Longreach and I can't say I was sorry to say goodbye to the town. It seemed that even the wildlife here had picked up the negative vibe, as part way along the road and an emu decided he'd wander out across the road, just because he could. Some clever braking from Kevin and we managed to avoid him as he casually trotted across the road and out of our way. The road is in pretty bad condition and there is heaps of road kill, so the crows are looking pretty fat!!
Come 9.30 and I was already hanging for a coffee, so I was on high alert for anything that vaguely resembled a decent coffee shop but wasn't having much luck. At this stage, I was pretty much getting over outback towns, chatty old people in caravan parks, and worst of all being classed as a 'grey nomad' when I think I've got some pretty good years in me still. One of us is still loving the outback experience, and the chatting for hours with random people he meets, but one of us is not relishing it quite as much!!
Along the road we stopped at a few random towns, some better than others. We stopped at Barcaldine for coffee, and found a really nice coffee at a very clean bakery. We were pleasantly surprised with Barcaldine, it was a very clean and tidy town. After Barcaldine, we turned onto another highway and started to head south.
There were heaps of emus on the road. We saw a dad emu and several chicks, but he wouldn't let us photograph them and took them into long grass to hide them. He was pretty clever actually. Lots of other random animals were about too. The wild pigs are ugly things, really rumpy looking and feral as!!
Our next overnighter was at Charleville. We arrived at our caravan park after traveling quite a few kilometers off the beaten track to get here. It was not what we were expecting and with no phone, no TV, and no Internet, can't say I was thrilled with the place. The couple who met us in reception were not filling us with a whole heap of confidence, and by the time I booked in, i was feeling like this was a very big mistake! We decided not to stay here two nights, so unpacked the van, then headed into town to give ourselves time to look around and decide what to do. In town, we booked into a town caravan park so we could stay in a reasonable park before heading in the direction of Bourke. By the time we headed back to where we'd left the van, it was pretty dark, and we had to dodge the huge kangaroos along the road. I was feeling an early night coming on!
The following morning Kevin took a farm tour. This was an experience i allowed him to enjoy alone. I forced myself to stay behind and sit in the sun. Then it was into town to stay at a caravan park closer to civilisation. The rest of our stay in Charleville consisted of a communal lamb spit roast at the caravan park and an observatory tour at night, which was a new experience. Who ever thought I'd be star gazing in the outback?
And so it was time to leave Charleville, and head to Bourke. We were on the road by 7.30 which was a record for us! The weather was pretty fresh -translation bloody freezing. But it was shaping up to be a pretty nice day. I was a bit nervous about what Bourke would bring, but decided to wait and see how I felt once I got there. What the town was like, was going to decide just how long we stayed there.
The trip to Bourke was fairly uneventful, which loosely translated means 'boring'. I did discover though that Kevin does a great impersonation of an emu, a talent he has managed to keep hidden from me for thirty odd years. There are so many emus on this road. Mind you emu impersonations shows what we've been reduced to on the road!!
And just when i thought it couldn't get any more BumbleF**k, we were now officially out the back of Bourke!! We arrived in Bourke and headed straight to the caravan park and got set up. We decided to take a paddle boat up the Darling River, which was OK. The town of Bourke though, was less than ordinary, and we understand now why we were warned not to stay right in the town. We did visit Heritage Centre before we left town though, and were surprised to read about those famous Australians that have links to the town.
The road home then took us towards Dubbo. The traveling was pretty hard though, as we had encountered a fair bit of turbulence on the road and this had played havoc with backs, necks and arms. The roads are pretty rough in general, and i must say my back is pleased that we are now on the home stretch!! Kevin did get very excited as we passed through Nyngen, as there is an Ag Expo on in the town, however it isn't on till Saturday and there was no way I was staying in Nyngen for another three days so he could go!! I did mention I was more than happy for him to go while I stayed in Dubbo, however AG Field Days in Nyngen were definitely not on my 'bucket list'!
We arrived in Dubbo and found the caravan park with very little fuss. After unpacking we headed into town to check out what might be there. We found the main city block and a shopping centre, but Kevin got a bit flustered with his driving in and around the shopping centre. He can drive all over Australia, but give him a shopping centre carpark, and he just doesn't cope!!
Our first day in Dubbo, and Kevin decided to go out for breakfast. He'd been on rations for big breakfasts after he overdosed on them while we were in Darwin. Then it was time for retail therapy for me - they even have a Myer in Dubbo!! I was wondering if the kilometers I'd walked shopping would wear off the kilojoules I'd inhaled eating pancakes and strawberries at breakfast.
So with all of our gourmet and retail needs met with our visit to Dubbo, it is now time to pack up and head for Wagga Wagga. Our jumpers have been pulled out of the cupboards, and the thongs and shorts have been stowed away. We are officially on the way home.
Monday, 1 August 2011
Banjo Patterson country
Last time I blogged, our buddies had all left, and it was time for us to hit the road again and make the slow trip back home. We stopped off at Katherine where we were going to do the gorge trip on a sunset cruise as a last thing before we started heading to the Queensland border. The gorge trip at sunset was certainly a highlight of the trip.
From the moment we stepped on the boat the magic began. Apparently the aboriginal people have taken over the tour company again, and the improvements since the tour we did years ago were marked. The walkways were all paved, there was water and seats available along the walk and the sunset cruise idea, well that was just magic!
The tour was more about the place than the wildlife, and as we'd already done heaps of wildlife tours, this was great for us. In comparison with the Darwin Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise, that cruise was just a meal on a boat, this was an experience!! The whole place was quite spiritual and we were just amazed at the beauty and how much more intense the colors, and light and shade were at this time of night. And then just when we thought it couldn't get any better, our guide turned the motor off in the boat and we just drifted in absolute silence for five minutes soaking in the spirit of the place in the middle of the river!!
The second part of the cruise returned us to the first gorge and we boarded the dinner boat which was all set up with clothed tables, beautiful dinner settings, champagne etc. If i wasn't already married, this would be the ultimate place to be proposed to! The music played gently in the background (it was the music of an aboriginal musician who plays the guitar upside down and was truly beautiful) and after we ate the most amazing three course meal, the floodlights were turned on and the whole gorge was lit as we slowly drifted back down the gorge. This was the best thing we have done so far and a lovely way to farewell the Northern Territory.
We made an early start the next morning and headed off towards Mataranka but decided not to stop and kept going till we came to Daly Waters Roadhouse, and then we kept going. We pulled over on the side of the road for lunch which we made in the back of the van. Then we headed for Elliot. We weren't sure whether to stay at Elliot, or try and make it to Renner Springs Roadhouse for an overnight stay there. We drove through Elliot and decided straight away i was not staying there. I'd rather camp on the side of the road. It was right up there with Roebourne which had been up till now the worst place ever. I managed to get Renner Springs on the phone and pre-booked a powered caravan site for the night, so we breathed a sigh of relief and travelled slowly there.
We arrived to a huge amount of caravans, so we were glad we had booked our site. It was pretty primitive, and there is no way I would have used the amenities. With no phone coverage, we called home from the phonebox, then after fighting off the mosquitos, and speaking over the sound of the road trains, we headed off to get an early night.
We got away early again the following morning, but not as early as we would have liked. We were heading to Barkly Homestead as we thought it was probably the only point in the road suitable to stay as we knew we wouldnt make it to Mt ISA in a day from here. We weren't sure what we would find there and guessed our night stay would be similar as the night stay we had last night- ordinary at best! We made a short stop at Three Ways Roadhouse for fuel, comfort, coffee (which was surprisingly a great coffee), and a Three Ways stubby holder for Kevin's growing collection, we then hit the road again heading for Barkly Homestead.
We arrived at Barkly and were pleasantly surprised. The guy at Renner Springs has told us it was pretty average, but in comparison to Renner Springs, it was a five star place. We got our pick of the sites, and if it wasn't for the noisy generator that kept Kevin awake, it would have been a perfect stop along the way to Mt ISA which was our next stop.
The next day, we made it to Mt ISA in fairly good time, but were starting to feel quite travel-weary so decided to stop here for a few days to catch our breath and have a look around. The caravan park was OK, so we figured we'd be fairly comfortable here. Mt ISA itself is not really that inspiring though, and would not be my hometown of choice!!
We've noticed the weather is beginning to change, and I've dragged out the little fan heater again, as the mornings are quite chilly compared to the beautiful 27 degree days. I don't mind so much though, as it means I'm sleeping much better of a night. I found Darwin just way too hot with no escape from the heat at night.
We got away fairly early the morning we left Mt ISA, Kevin was aiming for 7.30 and we did it by 7.45, so not too bad. First main town was Cloncurry, where we stopped for fuel,and coffee. We sustained a 'war wound' on the van getting in to the fuel station and the woman in the bakery was an absolute cow. We didn't rate Cloncurry very highly at all. Next stop was Winton and the only decent cafe in the street decided they would put a closed sign up at 2.30, so there was no opportunity for a coffee. We found a service station but only had one pump available, so found another. This one only took credit card as they had closed for the day -well it was 2.30 afterall.
We left Winton behind after having lunch on the side of the road just outside of the town. It was a long haul, but we eventually arrived at Longreach at 5pm. We were tired and crabby by this time - well one of us was tired, and the other was crabby anyway! So we grabbed a quick meal and decided to call it a day - it had been a very very long one.
Longreach provided us with a much needed sleep-in and catch up morning, and then as Longreach is the home of the Stockman's Hall of Fame, it was obligatory that I should accompany Kevin there for the day. It was pretty well done, but a day of it was an overload of heritage really!
From Longreach we are heading to Charleville, and probably Bourke, but Kevin is still deciding, and I'm just ready to head for home, so quite frankly I'm not to fussed which way he goes as long as it's south!
My next blog will be somewhere along the track on the way home from BumbleF......
From the moment we stepped on the boat the magic began. Apparently the aboriginal people have taken over the tour company again, and the improvements since the tour we did years ago were marked. The walkways were all paved, there was water and seats available along the walk and the sunset cruise idea, well that was just magic!
The tour was more about the place than the wildlife, and as we'd already done heaps of wildlife tours, this was great for us. In comparison with the Darwin Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise, that cruise was just a meal on a boat, this was an experience!! The whole place was quite spiritual and we were just amazed at the beauty and how much more intense the colors, and light and shade were at this time of night. And then just when we thought it couldn't get any better, our guide turned the motor off in the boat and we just drifted in absolute silence for five minutes soaking in the spirit of the place in the middle of the river!!
The second part of the cruise returned us to the first gorge and we boarded the dinner boat which was all set up with clothed tables, beautiful dinner settings, champagne etc. If i wasn't already married, this would be the ultimate place to be proposed to! The music played gently in the background (it was the music of an aboriginal musician who plays the guitar upside down and was truly beautiful) and after we ate the most amazing three course meal, the floodlights were turned on and the whole gorge was lit as we slowly drifted back down the gorge. This was the best thing we have done so far and a lovely way to farewell the Northern Territory.
We made an early start the next morning and headed off towards Mataranka but decided not to stop and kept going till we came to Daly Waters Roadhouse, and then we kept going. We pulled over on the side of the road for lunch which we made in the back of the van. Then we headed for Elliot. We weren't sure whether to stay at Elliot, or try and make it to Renner Springs Roadhouse for an overnight stay there. We drove through Elliot and decided straight away i was not staying there. I'd rather camp on the side of the road. It was right up there with Roebourne which had been up till now the worst place ever. I managed to get Renner Springs on the phone and pre-booked a powered caravan site for the night, so we breathed a sigh of relief and travelled slowly there.
We arrived to a huge amount of caravans, so we were glad we had booked our site. It was pretty primitive, and there is no way I would have used the amenities. With no phone coverage, we called home from the phonebox, then after fighting off the mosquitos, and speaking over the sound of the road trains, we headed off to get an early night.
We got away early again the following morning, but not as early as we would have liked. We were heading to Barkly Homestead as we thought it was probably the only point in the road suitable to stay as we knew we wouldnt make it to Mt ISA in a day from here. We weren't sure what we would find there and guessed our night stay would be similar as the night stay we had last night- ordinary at best! We made a short stop at Three Ways Roadhouse for fuel, comfort, coffee (which was surprisingly a great coffee), and a Three Ways stubby holder for Kevin's growing collection, we then hit the road again heading for Barkly Homestead.
We arrived at Barkly and were pleasantly surprised. The guy at Renner Springs has told us it was pretty average, but in comparison to Renner Springs, it was a five star place. We got our pick of the sites, and if it wasn't for the noisy generator that kept Kevin awake, it would have been a perfect stop along the way to Mt ISA which was our next stop.
The next day, we made it to Mt ISA in fairly good time, but were starting to feel quite travel-weary so decided to stop here for a few days to catch our breath and have a look around. The caravan park was OK, so we figured we'd be fairly comfortable here. Mt ISA itself is not really that inspiring though, and would not be my hometown of choice!!
We've noticed the weather is beginning to change, and I've dragged out the little fan heater again, as the mornings are quite chilly compared to the beautiful 27 degree days. I don't mind so much though, as it means I'm sleeping much better of a night. I found Darwin just way too hot with no escape from the heat at night.
We got away fairly early the morning we left Mt ISA, Kevin was aiming for 7.30 and we did it by 7.45, so not too bad. First main town was Cloncurry, where we stopped for fuel,and coffee. We sustained a 'war wound' on the van getting in to the fuel station and the woman in the bakery was an absolute cow. We didn't rate Cloncurry very highly at all. Next stop was Winton and the only decent cafe in the street decided they would put a closed sign up at 2.30, so there was no opportunity for a coffee. We found a service station but only had one pump available, so found another. This one only took credit card as they had closed for the day -well it was 2.30 afterall.
We left Winton behind after having lunch on the side of the road just outside of the town. It was a long haul, but we eventually arrived at Longreach at 5pm. We were tired and crabby by this time - well one of us was tired, and the other was crabby anyway! So we grabbed a quick meal and decided to call it a day - it had been a very very long one.
Longreach provided us with a much needed sleep-in and catch up morning, and then as Longreach is the home of the Stockman's Hall of Fame, it was obligatory that I should accompany Kevin there for the day. It was pretty well done, but a day of it was an overload of heritage really!
From Longreach we are heading to Charleville, and probably Bourke, but Kevin is still deciding, and I'm just ready to head for home, so quite frankly I'm not to fussed which way he goes as long as it's south!
My next blog will be somewhere along the track on the way home from BumbleF......
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Darwin fun and other stuff
It has been a long time since my last blog. We have been so busy in Darwin, that time has managed to get away from me - very poor time management skills, you can tell I've been away from the office for a while, I just can't think what I've done with my time: relaxing, eating, touring, socializing!!! So where do I start .........
The last blog ended before our tour into Litchfield, so I'll start with the trip to the National Park. We were up early to go for our trip with Eco Tours as the bus picked us up around 7.15. We headed straight out past Humpty Doo to Fogg Dam to check out the wildlife there. Everyone was quite impressed with the wildlife and a bit wary as we weren't allowed to walk on the dam due to rogue salt water crocs in the area.
Then it was off to the Adelaide River to see the crocodiles that they knew were there. I stayed downstairs on the boat and had an amazing view of the crocs throughout the glass, and managed some great shots from behind the safety of the bullet proof (and croc I hope) glass.
Then it was off to Bachelor for lunch before we went on to the waterfalls. The lunch was OK although there was a discussion had, that the fruit platter was actually a bowl of tinned peaches! From lunch it was on to the waterfalls. The first falls we came to we couldn't swim in, the Wangi Falls had not been checked for saltwater crocs, so it was off limits for swimming, so we were pretty happy to comply with the request not to swim. Then on to Tolmer Falls, and we didn't swim there either, it was simply a look and see. But we finally made it to Florence falls and after negotiating heaps of steps, we made it down to the water hole, where the boys and Maureen got in the water and had a swim - with about 100 other people!! Unfortunately, after their swim, we had to re-negotiate the steps to get back up to the bus.
The next stop was Buley Rockholes, which was a series of rock pools, and small waterfalls. I found me a hole and I sat in it - it was lovely! It was a bit like an open-air spa. Then it was back on the bus until we came to a roadhouse where we changed out of our bathers, and Bradley scored a beer, Maureen a wine and the rest of us a soft drink -yes no red wine for me, it was way too hot for that. We then headed back to the bus for the trip back to Darwin.
We arrived back at the park and decided after the day, that we weren't going to cook, so all but Jane loaded into the car and we went in to Darwin City to Shenanigans for dinner. We had a great meal, and enjoyed the atmosphere of down-town Darwin before we headed back to the caravan park. Then the atmosphere unfortunately deteriorated!! The Darwin Show had set up at the show grounds, which happened to be next door to the caravan park. And Side Show Alley happened to be set up alongside our fence!! And it was this night they decided to give the rides a run. I knew straight away we were in for great treat over the next few days - not!!
And what a treat we had!! For the next week we had sideshow alley running from 10am till 11pm, we had an influx of 'carnies' in the park who managed to completely trash the amenities, cause havoc after dark, and generally ensure that our stay at Shady Glen Caravan Park was one we will never forget!! We were fortunate however that when the fireworks went off on the Saturday night we did actually have a ring-side seat from the other side of the wire fence -and they did manage not to burn anything down so that was also a bonus! We were a bit annoyed that we hadn't been warned when we booked the park site two months ahead, that the Show would be on, it would be next door, that sideshow alley would be against the fence and that the show 'carnies' would be moving into the park in droves. There was of course no refunds if we left early and no discounts, and therefore, you can find my review of our stay at the caravan park online at Trip Advisor for all to read!!
Our stay in Darwin wasn't all bad though. We had several great trips to Mindil Market, we visited the waterfront area of Darwin several times, we ate at some wonderful restaurants and had a great time with our family and friends who'd come all the way to Darwin to meet us. Thanks Jane, Maureen, Bradley and Janine for making our Darwin leg of our journey so good. We had some great laughs, and couldn't have wished for better (and funnier Brad) company. I could write a book about the escapades of Bradley, but that's another story (and yes Brad i have recorded it in my trip notes).
Once our buddies had all left, it was time for us to hit the road again and make the slow trip back home. We were really missing home now, and our girls and family, and one very special little man. So it was off to Katherine where we were going to do the gorge trip on a sunset cruise as a last thing before we started heading to the Queensland border, as we are traveling via Longreach to come home. So Katherine and beyond will be my next blog........
The last blog ended before our tour into Litchfield, so I'll start with the trip to the National Park. We were up early to go for our trip with Eco Tours as the bus picked us up around 7.15. We headed straight out past Humpty Doo to Fogg Dam to check out the wildlife there. Everyone was quite impressed with the wildlife and a bit wary as we weren't allowed to walk on the dam due to rogue salt water crocs in the area.
Then it was off to the Adelaide River to see the crocodiles that they knew were there. I stayed downstairs on the boat and had an amazing view of the crocs throughout the glass, and managed some great shots from behind the safety of the bullet proof (and croc I hope) glass.
Then it was off to Bachelor for lunch before we went on to the waterfalls. The lunch was OK although there was a discussion had, that the fruit platter was actually a bowl of tinned peaches! From lunch it was on to the waterfalls. The first falls we came to we couldn't swim in, the Wangi Falls had not been checked for saltwater crocs, so it was off limits for swimming, so we were pretty happy to comply with the request not to swim. Then on to Tolmer Falls, and we didn't swim there either, it was simply a look and see. But we finally made it to Florence falls and after negotiating heaps of steps, we made it down to the water hole, where the boys and Maureen got in the water and had a swim - with about 100 other people!! Unfortunately, after their swim, we had to re-negotiate the steps to get back up to the bus.
The next stop was Buley Rockholes, which was a series of rock pools, and small waterfalls. I found me a hole and I sat in it - it was lovely! It was a bit like an open-air spa. Then it was back on the bus until we came to a roadhouse where we changed out of our bathers, and Bradley scored a beer, Maureen a wine and the rest of us a soft drink -yes no red wine for me, it was way too hot for that. We then headed back to the bus for the trip back to Darwin.
We arrived back at the park and decided after the day, that we weren't going to cook, so all but Jane loaded into the car and we went in to Darwin City to Shenanigans for dinner. We had a great meal, and enjoyed the atmosphere of down-town Darwin before we headed back to the caravan park. Then the atmosphere unfortunately deteriorated!! The Darwin Show had set up at the show grounds, which happened to be next door to the caravan park. And Side Show Alley happened to be set up alongside our fence!! And it was this night they decided to give the rides a run. I knew straight away we were in for great treat over the next few days - not!!
And what a treat we had!! For the next week we had sideshow alley running from 10am till 11pm, we had an influx of 'carnies' in the park who managed to completely trash the amenities, cause havoc after dark, and generally ensure that our stay at Shady Glen Caravan Park was one we will never forget!! We were fortunate however that when the fireworks went off on the Saturday night we did actually have a ring-side seat from the other side of the wire fence -and they did manage not to burn anything down so that was also a bonus! We were a bit annoyed that we hadn't been warned when we booked the park site two months ahead, that the Show would be on, it would be next door, that sideshow alley would be against the fence and that the show 'carnies' would be moving into the park in droves. There was of course no refunds if we left early and no discounts, and therefore, you can find my review of our stay at the caravan park online at Trip Advisor for all to read!!
Our stay in Darwin wasn't all bad though. We had several great trips to Mindil Market, we visited the waterfront area of Darwin several times, we ate at some wonderful restaurants and had a great time with our family and friends who'd come all the way to Darwin to meet us. Thanks Jane, Maureen, Bradley and Janine for making our Darwin leg of our journey so good. We had some great laughs, and couldn't have wished for better (and funnier Brad) company. I could write a book about the escapades of Bradley, but that's another story (and yes Brad i have recorded it in my trip notes).
Once our buddies had all left, it was time for us to hit the road again and make the slow trip back home. We were really missing home now, and our girls and family, and one very special little man. So it was off to Katherine where we were going to do the gorge trip on a sunset cruise as a last thing before we started heading to the Queensland border, as we are traveling via Longreach to come home. So Katherine and beyond will be my next blog........
Monday, 18 July 2011
Fun in Darwin
We arrived in Darwin three days ahead of schedule, and the caravan parks were so full, we had to take the last site we could get in the Free Spirit Park on the outskirts of Darwin. It was OK, but only just. Our neighbor on one side was the ablutions block and garbage bins, so the smell drifting in our window of a night was a pleasant mix of various types of waste!! That mixed with humid sticky heat, made for an interesting stay. The green tree frogs had taken up residence in the toilet, and various types of mould had taken up residence in the showers, so our ensuite in the van proved to be an absolute lifesaver.
I was in desperate need of some civilisation, so we aimed ourselves in the direction of Casaurina Shopping Center for some serious retail therapy. Kevin was not as keen for therapy as I was, but he decided to come along for the ride. With the iPad assistance, we found the shopping centre without much hassle. We spent the next few hours wandering around, drinking coffee etc. For someone who was just along for the ride, Kevin was able to find quite a few things that made it into our shopping bags for the trip home!!
We left Casaurina, and Kevin suggested a trip into the city - my goodness, what had happened to him!! Anyway we headed towards Darwin City. We had a 'moment' over which carpark to park in, but we managed to recover from that and then spent some time wandering the streets, till we decided we'd really had enough of shopping (it was way too hot) and we turned the car towards the caravan park. Kevin spent the next hour flat out on the bed snoring, while I caught up with boring stuff - I liked Kevin's choice of activity better!!
We filled in the next few days running around Darwin getting stuff done that had been on hold until we were somewhere near civilisation, and then it was time for our visitors from home to arrive. I was pretty excited as we'd been on the road for two months with just each other for company - don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed that company, but it was time to expand our conversation pool for a while, and our buddies had arranged to be in Darwin when we were here so we could have some fun before we started back home.
The plane arrived about 20 minutes late, but we were pretty happy to wait a few extra minutes for the fun to start. Brad and Janine, and Jane and Maureen arrived pretty hot and removing layers as they had come straight from a very cold Tasmania to 30 degrees. So once in the Caravan Park, we all headed to the girls cabin for a few celebratory beverages, and that's when the first disaster happened!! Do you know how quickly a man and a chair can fall backwards from a balcony? Pretty quickly!! Brad moved his chair to get a photo with Kevin, and the leg went off the edge of the balcony, and Brad, his chair, and the glass top table all went off the edge backwards. Brad landed on his back on top of two very large, very sharp rocks!! We couldn't believe it - he was so lucky even though he was hurt, it could have been so much worse!! And he was stone cold sober! So after the balcony incident, the party folded and everyone headed for their beds.
After their night's sleep our travelers were all rested and we had decided to visit the Casino for the BIG Breakfast. Kevin had been waiting for this and was very very excited at the prospect of the buffet breakfast. We had to have seats outside, as the visiting Tasmanians wanted to soak up the sun. The rest of the day was filled with Parap Market, a barbecue tea, and a return to the Casino to watch St Kilda play on the big screen.
Over the next few days, we did various markets, went souvenir shopping, visited the city, did Mindil Beach at sunset, paddled in the man-made beach, checked out the wave pool and the waterfront district, ate ice-cream, drank coffee, walked the streets, sailed on the harbour, and generally had a fun time. Tomorrow we plan to have a bit of a rest from all our recreation, and get ready for a big trip on Thursday out to Litchfield National Park. That will be my next blog .....
I was in desperate need of some civilisation, so we aimed ourselves in the direction of Casaurina Shopping Center for some serious retail therapy. Kevin was not as keen for therapy as I was, but he decided to come along for the ride. With the iPad assistance, we found the shopping centre without much hassle. We spent the next few hours wandering around, drinking coffee etc. For someone who was just along for the ride, Kevin was able to find quite a few things that made it into our shopping bags for the trip home!!
We left Casaurina, and Kevin suggested a trip into the city - my goodness, what had happened to him!! Anyway we headed towards Darwin City. We had a 'moment' over which carpark to park in, but we managed to recover from that and then spent some time wandering the streets, till we decided we'd really had enough of shopping (it was way too hot) and we turned the car towards the caravan park. Kevin spent the next hour flat out on the bed snoring, while I caught up with boring stuff - I liked Kevin's choice of activity better!!
We filled in the next few days running around Darwin getting stuff done that had been on hold until we were somewhere near civilisation, and then it was time for our visitors from home to arrive. I was pretty excited as we'd been on the road for two months with just each other for company - don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed that company, but it was time to expand our conversation pool for a while, and our buddies had arranged to be in Darwin when we were here so we could have some fun before we started back home.
The plane arrived about 20 minutes late, but we were pretty happy to wait a few extra minutes for the fun to start. Brad and Janine, and Jane and Maureen arrived pretty hot and removing layers as they had come straight from a very cold Tasmania to 30 degrees. So once in the Caravan Park, we all headed to the girls cabin for a few celebratory beverages, and that's when the first disaster happened!! Do you know how quickly a man and a chair can fall backwards from a balcony? Pretty quickly!! Brad moved his chair to get a photo with Kevin, and the leg went off the edge of the balcony, and Brad, his chair, and the glass top table all went off the edge backwards. Brad landed on his back on top of two very large, very sharp rocks!! We couldn't believe it - he was so lucky even though he was hurt, it could have been so much worse!! And he was stone cold sober! So after the balcony incident, the party folded and everyone headed for their beds.
After their night's sleep our travelers were all rested and we had decided to visit the Casino for the BIG Breakfast. Kevin had been waiting for this and was very very excited at the prospect of the buffet breakfast. We had to have seats outside, as the visiting Tasmanians wanted to soak up the sun. The rest of the day was filled with Parap Market, a barbecue tea, and a return to the Casino to watch St Kilda play on the big screen.
Over the next few days, we did various markets, went souvenir shopping, visited the city, did Mindil Beach at sunset, paddled in the man-made beach, checked out the wave pool and the waterfront district, ate ice-cream, drank coffee, walked the streets, sailed on the harbour, and generally had a fun time. Tomorrow we plan to have a bit of a rest from all our recreation, and get ready for a big trip on Thursday out to Litchfield National Park. That will be my next blog .....
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Playing in Kakadu National Park
Today we leave Kakadu National Park and head to Darwin, so today I pick out all the juicy stuff from our time here in Kakadu to blog about.
Our first stop on the road to Kakadu was at the Mary River Roadhouse to buy the National Park Passes that we need for traveling in the Park over the next week. The outside toilets were a real treat!! And then I discovered some pleasant alternatives inside - too late to save me from the outside experience unfortunately.
One thing I have noticed is the amount of snakes we've been seeing. I've seen more snakes on the road to Kakadu than I have seen my whole life living in Tasmania. I'm starting to feel just a little concerned about walking around some of these bush tracks out here, and have given Kevin a bit of a talk about being wary of snakes while he's out tramping about on the bush as he does!!
So we arrived at Kakadu Lodge Caravan Park and I was pleasantly surprised. Firstly they allowed us to pick our own site, and we managed to get a great site with heaps of shade - however Kevin did do several laps of the park before he decided on the very best spot!! The pool was great, and the bistro area serves great meals, so I think I might enjoy it here. The comment about keeping our shoes inside as the dingoes that visit at night have taken a liking to them was just a bit off-putting though!!
We checked out the Jabiru township which took about 5 minutes, and then headed out to the interpretive centre to get our bearings and see what we should go and check out while we are here. Then exhausted from all that effort, we came back to the caravan park, and Kevin forced himself to have a swim in the pool, while I filled in my time with a red wine and some phone calls back home. Tomorrow we planned to check out some of the sights and sort out what cruise and which cultural tour we should take - or maybe we'd just relax (life's tough when your on holiday)!!
Day two in Kakadu started with boring stuff like washing sheets and generally cleaning up.
Today is quite windy here, and I'm hoping the washing doesnt takeoff on me while we are away soaking up the culture!! So once the housework stuff was done, we travelled out to the cultural area to view the aboriginal people rock art paintings which included walking to the top of a lookout, where I had the strangest feeling I'd been there before. I then discovered that the Crocodile Dundee movies were filmed from this very spot - and here I was feeling there was some deep spiritual feeling I was experiencing among all this culture!!
After the walk, we then headed off to the crossing on the East Alligator River between Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land, called Cahills Crossing, to watch the tide turn and check out the crocodiles who wait at the crossing with mouths open in the hope that they score an easy fish! We spent the next hour watching a big old croc lurking in the water, watching adventurous (stupid) drivers attempting the crossing on the turn of the tide, and watching the barrumundi fishermen getting way to close for comfort to the reptiles in the river!!
We decided after the long day, we'd eat out. Kevin expended more energy with a swim, and I expended mine just watching him. Then we treated ourselves to dinner at the Bistro. Beautiful meals, but very very big - we didn't need the extra wedges that Kein had ordered!!
Day three in Kakadu. We started our day early, as with the heat, we're not sleeping well so early starts are easy. We headed out to take a boat trip on the East Alligator River. Our tour guide was an aborigine guide called Terry, who was really great. We saw heaps of saltwater crocodiles - it was a little disconcerting when he started the tour with a safety talk that included not resting any body parts on the side of the boat or anywhere near the water. And what is it about providing us with life jackets on these boat trips? Who cares about drowning while you're being eaten??
The cruise was on the East Alligator River, which divides Kakadu National Park from Arnhem Land, allowed us to enter Arnhem Land - you have to get permission from the traditional owners. Terry then showed us how to throw spears and what they were used for. We also learned a bit about tribal justice and how traditionally they deal with those that break tribal laws - it was pretty interesting stuff.
On our return to the Caravan Park, we detoured and checked out the Uranium Mine out here at Jabiru. It was really awful to see it all happening in such an amazing place. The pit was huge and the piles of waste were mountain-high!!
By the time we reached home, Kevin was still hot, so we visited the pool, so he could cool down! Then he decided he couldn't be bothered cooking, so we settled in beside the pool with wine, a fancy chicken dish and music playing in the background. I wasn't sure at this point how I would ever return to my normal life!
Day three meant an early early start. I don't call a 4.30 start to the day much fun, but the fact that I was already awake at 3.30AM probably didn't help my mood at the beginning of the day. Anyway a quick shower helped to wake us up and before too long we hit the road to be at Cooinda Resort 50 Ks away to catch the boat for a Yellow River Boat trip.
After our arrival and checkin for the cruise, we sat on the boat in the dark for ten minutes contemplating just how many crocs there would be lurking just under us smelling their breakfast! But before they managed to eat any of us (although the million and twenty Mosquitos had had a fair go) it was time to hit the water! So just on sunrise we headed out, and two hours and a hundred photos later we'd had a great trip! We saw birds, crocodiles, amazing waterlillies, wetlands and more crocs!!
Then it was back to shore and back to the lineup to catch the shuttle bus back to the lodge for the big breakfast that was included -Kevin had been hanging out for this! We ended up being in the last load for the bus and the threat of missing out on crispy bacon was almost too much for Kevin to bear! But we made it, and there was bacon to spare, so disaster was averted!!
From breakfast, we moved on to the aboriginal cultural centre, and then to Jim Jim Billabong, but we couldn't get through the water that was blocking the track, so after attempting the first water crossing we decided to give the idea up. Kevin then had a great idea that we should climb a kilometer and go to the top of Cahills Lookout! Personally I felt it wasn't one of his greatest ideas, especially when I was half way up and just about dying on the track!! I did make it to the top however and was proud of my achievement, although I could have managed without the experience. Day four was to be a rest day for me while Kevin went trekking in the bush. I must say after the climb to the lookout I was more than happy for him to go off walking without me!
So day four arrived and my relax day. Kevin had organized to go walking in the wilds, and I had organized to do absolutely nothing!! Bliss!! So after packing the old boy off I'd decided to take it easy -to take it very easy in fact. Washing done, ironing done, groceries done, caravan cleaned, booked in to the next caravan park in Darwin and generally just sat about. Good for the soul and not very productive, but I felt quite relaxed at the end of it. Kevin returned about 3 and had had a great day walking in the heat (not sure how he could have but each to his own)
So our Kakadu experience was just about over. Now it's on to Darwin and on to the next adventure. I must say the civilisation is looking pretty good to me at the moment. There's only so much of the 'wild' a girl can take. I think I need a manicure, a pedicure, a massage, and some serious retail therapy to recover ....... But that's my next blog!!!
Our first stop on the road to Kakadu was at the Mary River Roadhouse to buy the National Park Passes that we need for traveling in the Park over the next week. The outside toilets were a real treat!! And then I discovered some pleasant alternatives inside - too late to save me from the outside experience unfortunately.
One thing I have noticed is the amount of snakes we've been seeing. I've seen more snakes on the road to Kakadu than I have seen my whole life living in Tasmania. I'm starting to feel just a little concerned about walking around some of these bush tracks out here, and have given Kevin a bit of a talk about being wary of snakes while he's out tramping about on the bush as he does!!
So we arrived at Kakadu Lodge Caravan Park and I was pleasantly surprised. Firstly they allowed us to pick our own site, and we managed to get a great site with heaps of shade - however Kevin did do several laps of the park before he decided on the very best spot!! The pool was great, and the bistro area serves great meals, so I think I might enjoy it here. The comment about keeping our shoes inside as the dingoes that visit at night have taken a liking to them was just a bit off-putting though!!
We checked out the Jabiru township which took about 5 minutes, and then headed out to the interpretive centre to get our bearings and see what we should go and check out while we are here. Then exhausted from all that effort, we came back to the caravan park, and Kevin forced himself to have a swim in the pool, while I filled in my time with a red wine and some phone calls back home. Tomorrow we planned to check out some of the sights and sort out what cruise and which cultural tour we should take - or maybe we'd just relax (life's tough when your on holiday)!!
Day two in Kakadu started with boring stuff like washing sheets and generally cleaning up.
Today is quite windy here, and I'm hoping the washing doesnt takeoff on me while we are away soaking up the culture!! So once the housework stuff was done, we travelled out to the cultural area to view the aboriginal people rock art paintings which included walking to the top of a lookout, where I had the strangest feeling I'd been there before. I then discovered that the Crocodile Dundee movies were filmed from this very spot - and here I was feeling there was some deep spiritual feeling I was experiencing among all this culture!!
After the walk, we then headed off to the crossing on the East Alligator River between Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land, called Cahills Crossing, to watch the tide turn and check out the crocodiles who wait at the crossing with mouths open in the hope that they score an easy fish! We spent the next hour watching a big old croc lurking in the water, watching adventurous (stupid) drivers attempting the crossing on the turn of the tide, and watching the barrumundi fishermen getting way to close for comfort to the reptiles in the river!!
We decided after the long day, we'd eat out. Kevin expended more energy with a swim, and I expended mine just watching him. Then we treated ourselves to dinner at the Bistro. Beautiful meals, but very very big - we didn't need the extra wedges that Kein had ordered!!
Day three in Kakadu. We started our day early, as with the heat, we're not sleeping well so early starts are easy. We headed out to take a boat trip on the East Alligator River. Our tour guide was an aborigine guide called Terry, who was really great. We saw heaps of saltwater crocodiles - it was a little disconcerting when he started the tour with a safety talk that included not resting any body parts on the side of the boat or anywhere near the water. And what is it about providing us with life jackets on these boat trips? Who cares about drowning while you're being eaten??
The cruise was on the East Alligator River, which divides Kakadu National Park from Arnhem Land, allowed us to enter Arnhem Land - you have to get permission from the traditional owners. Terry then showed us how to throw spears and what they were used for. We also learned a bit about tribal justice and how traditionally they deal with those that break tribal laws - it was pretty interesting stuff.
On our return to the Caravan Park, we detoured and checked out the Uranium Mine out here at Jabiru. It was really awful to see it all happening in such an amazing place. The pit was huge and the piles of waste were mountain-high!!
By the time we reached home, Kevin was still hot, so we visited the pool, so he could cool down! Then he decided he couldn't be bothered cooking, so we settled in beside the pool with wine, a fancy chicken dish and music playing in the background. I wasn't sure at this point how I would ever return to my normal life!
Day three meant an early early start. I don't call a 4.30 start to the day much fun, but the fact that I was already awake at 3.30AM probably didn't help my mood at the beginning of the day. Anyway a quick shower helped to wake us up and before too long we hit the road to be at Cooinda Resort 50 Ks away to catch the boat for a Yellow River Boat trip.
After our arrival and checkin for the cruise, we sat on the boat in the dark for ten minutes contemplating just how many crocs there would be lurking just under us smelling their breakfast! But before they managed to eat any of us (although the million and twenty Mosquitos had had a fair go) it was time to hit the water! So just on sunrise we headed out, and two hours and a hundred photos later we'd had a great trip! We saw birds, crocodiles, amazing waterlillies, wetlands and more crocs!!
Then it was back to shore and back to the lineup to catch the shuttle bus back to the lodge for the big breakfast that was included -Kevin had been hanging out for this! We ended up being in the last load for the bus and the threat of missing out on crispy bacon was almost too much for Kevin to bear! But we made it, and there was bacon to spare, so disaster was averted!!
From breakfast, we moved on to the aboriginal cultural centre, and then to Jim Jim Billabong, but we couldn't get through the water that was blocking the track, so after attempting the first water crossing we decided to give the idea up. Kevin then had a great idea that we should climb a kilometer and go to the top of Cahills Lookout! Personally I felt it wasn't one of his greatest ideas, especially when I was half way up and just about dying on the track!! I did make it to the top however and was proud of my achievement, although I could have managed without the experience. Day four was to be a rest day for me while Kevin went trekking in the bush. I must say after the climb to the lookout I was more than happy for him to go off walking without me!
So day four arrived and my relax day. Kevin had organized to go walking in the wilds, and I had organized to do absolutely nothing!! Bliss!! So after packing the old boy off I'd decided to take it easy -to take it very easy in fact. Washing done, ironing done, groceries done, caravan cleaned, booked in to the next caravan park in Darwin and generally just sat about. Good for the soul and not very productive, but I felt quite relaxed at the end of it. Kevin returned about 3 and had had a great day walking in the heat (not sure how he could have but each to his own)
So our Kakadu experience was just about over. Now it's on to Darwin and on to the next adventure. I must say the civilisation is looking pretty good to me at the moment. There's only so much of the 'wild' a girl can take. I think I need a manicure, a pedicure, a massage, and some serious retail therapy to recover ....... But that's my next blog!!!
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Onwards to Katherine .. We hit the Northern Territory
It was time to hit the road again, as we were leaving Kununurra behind and heading towards the Northern Territory border. After a robust discussion and slight confusion (on Kevins part) over which way the clocks should be turned, we agreed that the clock should go forward and we would lose an hour and a half as we slowly made our way back to the east coast of Australia, (and slowly left BumbleF**k behind us -maybe)!
The distance to Katherine was too far to make before the caravan park reception closed, (as we lost an hour and a half), so we decided to stop at the Victoria River Roadhouse for the night. We'd heard it was a pretty place and worth the stop. Well it was a pretty place, but I probably would have just stopped for a 'look' rather than a 'night' if I had known what the Caravan Park was like.
Victoria River scenery was pretty spectacular with huge gorges, a very inviting river -except of course for the crocodiles that live in it - and the contrast of the Northern Territory colours. I was tempted to take a helicopter ride over the National Park, and the helicopter pilot was cute enough to nearly make me forget that I don't like flying in anything under a 100 seats, but commonsense prevailed, and I gave the flight a miss! We found out later it was only $50 so we were kicking ourselves we didn't go!
We filled the afternoon in chatting to travellers at the Roadhouse, and also took a short walk to the river for a photo, but the 33 degree heat was a bit much for me, so I headed back to the van. Several glasses of water, an icecream and two panadol later and I was feeling heaps better.
So after our overnight stop we headed off to Katherine. I'd like to say we left Victoria River Roadhouse bright and early as scheduled, however, Kevin does love to talk -and that's all I'll say on the matter! So a little later than planned we hit the road and headed for Katherine. One night with no 3G coverage in fairly basic camping situation was enough for me. The showers were a breeding ground for who knows what, and with no water pressure to have a shower in the van, I was hanging out for a decent shower in Katherine!
We arrived at the park, which was a pleasant surprise after the very ordinary arrangement at Victoria River. We even managed to find a decent place in Katherine to get coffee -so now I'm feeling more human again!!
Our first night at the caravan park and we were surprised to hear music from the bistro area, so we made our way over for a look and once closer we were treated to some lovely 'yeehaa' music. So with red wine in hand, I settled in for the next half an hour and listened to the dulcet tones of some very very old music!! Kevin wouldn't dance with me though which was more than a little disappointing.
Our second day in Katherine and we discovered the Thermal Pools. We spent an hour floating about and generally relaxing in the water that is a constant 32 degrees. Of course there were other tourists there doing the same thing, and so of course our stay there was lengthened because Kevin struck up conversation. Still it was a pleasant way to pass the afternoon, and I really didn't mind listening to an old lady's life story while Kevin chatted happily to her husband!!
Our last day in Katherine we started the day around 7, with me heading to the showers and Kevin heading off for a walk to deal with his muffin top! We planned to head off early to go to Edith Falls, however our neighbor came across for a chat, and the rest is history!! An hour later, we headed off. Kevins good work was undone with the coffee and biscuits we had in Katherine before we left for the falls.
The day at the falls was pretty good. It was very very hot, and I completely squibbed out on the 2.6 kilometer walk to the top falls, so Kevin had to be content with the bottom falls. The water was pretty inviting, but the temperature, and the fact that there were reptile eyes watching us, ensured I didn't go for a swim! Kevin braved it though and had a wonderful time. I was happy to be the resident photographer.
Tomorrow we head off for Jabiru in Kakadu National Park, and I doubt there will be much swimming, as the salt water crocodiles live there, and they don't love sharing their water!! I'll blog more about our Kakadu adventures next time .......
The distance to Katherine was too far to make before the caravan park reception closed, (as we lost an hour and a half), so we decided to stop at the Victoria River Roadhouse for the night. We'd heard it was a pretty place and worth the stop. Well it was a pretty place, but I probably would have just stopped for a 'look' rather than a 'night' if I had known what the Caravan Park was like.
Victoria River scenery was pretty spectacular with huge gorges, a very inviting river -except of course for the crocodiles that live in it - and the contrast of the Northern Territory colours. I was tempted to take a helicopter ride over the National Park, and the helicopter pilot was cute enough to nearly make me forget that I don't like flying in anything under a 100 seats, but commonsense prevailed, and I gave the flight a miss! We found out later it was only $50 so we were kicking ourselves we didn't go!
We filled the afternoon in chatting to travellers at the Roadhouse, and also took a short walk to the river for a photo, but the 33 degree heat was a bit much for me, so I headed back to the van. Several glasses of water, an icecream and two panadol later and I was feeling heaps better.
So after our overnight stop we headed off to Katherine. I'd like to say we left Victoria River Roadhouse bright and early as scheduled, however, Kevin does love to talk -and that's all I'll say on the matter! So a little later than planned we hit the road and headed for Katherine. One night with no 3G coverage in fairly basic camping situation was enough for me. The showers were a breeding ground for who knows what, and with no water pressure to have a shower in the van, I was hanging out for a decent shower in Katherine!
We arrived at the park, which was a pleasant surprise after the very ordinary arrangement at Victoria River. We even managed to find a decent place in Katherine to get coffee -so now I'm feeling more human again!!
Our first night at the caravan park and we were surprised to hear music from the bistro area, so we made our way over for a look and once closer we were treated to some lovely 'yeehaa' music. So with red wine in hand, I settled in for the next half an hour and listened to the dulcet tones of some very very old music!! Kevin wouldn't dance with me though which was more than a little disappointing.
Our second day in Katherine and we discovered the Thermal Pools. We spent an hour floating about and generally relaxing in the water that is a constant 32 degrees. Of course there were other tourists there doing the same thing, and so of course our stay there was lengthened because Kevin struck up conversation. Still it was a pleasant way to pass the afternoon, and I really didn't mind listening to an old lady's life story while Kevin chatted happily to her husband!!
Our last day in Katherine we started the day around 7, with me heading to the showers and Kevin heading off for a walk to deal with his muffin top! We planned to head off early to go to Edith Falls, however our neighbor came across for a chat, and the rest is history!! An hour later, we headed off. Kevins good work was undone with the coffee and biscuits we had in Katherine before we left for the falls.
The day at the falls was pretty good. It was very very hot, and I completely squibbed out on the 2.6 kilometer walk to the top falls, so Kevin had to be content with the bottom falls. The water was pretty inviting, but the temperature, and the fact that there were reptile eyes watching us, ensured I didn't go for a swim! Kevin braved it though and had a wonderful time. I was happy to be the resident photographer.
Tomorrow we head off for Jabiru in Kakadu National Park, and I doubt there will be much swimming, as the salt water crocodiles live there, and they don't love sharing their water!! I'll blog more about our Kakadu adventures next time .......
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