Days 57 and 58. Tuesday, August 13, 2013 and Wednesday, August 14, 2013.

We have been home for nearly a week now and I thought it was about time that I tackled the blog and finished it off.

We got out of our nice, warm, comfortable bed at about 0700-ish on Tuesday. It was time to re-pack the van and hit the road. So we got ourselves dressed, showered and breakfasted (?) and got everything ready to go.

So we left Port Willunga (and Mary and Phil and Agg) and off towards Victoria we go. We hit the top of the Adelaide Hills to be met with a reasonably thick fog, but it didn't last too long. The weather had cleared up by the time we got to the lovely little village of Meadows and we got to the freeway at Mt. Barker without incident. Drove on for a couple of hours 'til we got to Coonalpyn where we had morning tea. Normally we wander around outside, sipping on our coffee and munching on whatever food Gerry gets out but mate, it was freezing, so morning tea was inside the van.

Then further east and over the border, back in Victoria, move the watch/clock half-hour forward. Lunch at Kaniva but inside the van again...much warmer. Eventually we stopped at Horsham at the Horsham Caravan park (the one beside the river in town, not the one out on the highway, that's The Wimmera Lakes). Got a nice site beside the river and after set-up we decide that we can go for a nice walk to warm up. We do exactly that and by the time we get back it's happy-hour time. While there are other people in the park they are all inside and so are we. I beat Geraldine at Scrabble one last time. Warmed the van up with the electric heater...very cozy. Off to bed, also for the last time on the road for this trip.

Next morning we were woken by a very loud bird chorus....corellas by the thousand and rainbow lorikeets by heaps, squeaking and squawking. So off to the showers, then brekky, then hit the road.

The morning was cold again but the wind nice and calm, that is until we got to Ararat. That is when the weather turned really foul but luckily the wind was blowing from a mainly north-westerly direction and we were travelling south-easterly. Yay! Quite a bit of rain though.

Quick stop at Broadford for a wee moment and morning coffee, then off through Skipton and on to Bannockburn where we arrived at Justine and Daniel's at about 1130.

We had lunch there, parked and secured the van and unloaded what we needed to into the car. So after a trip of 58 days and covering some 10,000 k's we arrived home at about 1400, nicely safe and sound. We really do live in an amazing country, which is so varied and beautiful. We met many interesting characters and caught up with old friends. A lovely time was had indeed.

Now to start planning for the next trip. 'Til then, see ya!

'Finis'

Days 53 to 56. August 9 to August 12, all in 2013.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, all spent in lovely Adelaide....wot have I done wrong in my life to deserve this? All one hears or reads about is about The Crows or The Power, but then again the weather has been fairly kind, although the wind has been quite cool. Temperature in the high teens.

Mary and Phil are great hosts and have ensured that both of us have consumed way too much alcohol, eaten too much and drunk too much coffee. We had dinner out at the Willunga Hotel (very nice) and Russell's Pizza joint, also in Willunga and also very nice.

Had coffee at Seaford, Aldinga, Noarlunga and McLaren Vale. Although we had a look around The Vale we did NOT go to one winery or cellar door. We bought our wine at whatever bottle shop we were at! We also had long walks along the beach at Port Willunga which were very pleasant and bracing! 

Mary and Geraldine with dogs above Port Willunga Beach

View of the beach and cliff area at Port Willunga

Watching the last three quarters of the Geelong v Power game on Saturday was bitter/sweet. What the hell was the last quarter all about. The other house guest here, Aggie, is a staunch Power supporter, so failing to finish them off and allowing them to dominate that last quarter took some wind out of my sails...but then again, not much!

Overall it has been a very pleasant four days or so but we are looking forward to moving on towards home tomorrow. We'll see how far we get.

Day 52. Thursday 8 August 2012

Strike me handsome it's bloody cold down here. All gloved up while I gathered up all the gear and get ready to move down the road to Adelaide. The electricity leads almost refuse to bend, they are like cold chewing gum....they are that stiff from the cold that they feel as if I could just snap them into pieces....Could really not do that but gee they feel like it.

We get under way at the 0830-ish time, but there is no real hurry. We find that the roadway between Broughton and Port Wakefield is very rough and undulating. Once through Wakefield the road becomes a divided highway all the way to Port Adelaide. From there it is a slow stop-start trip through suburbia all the way to Port Willunga (lots of ports in South Aussie).

We arrive at Mary and Phil's at about midday, so the trip was pretty cruise-y. Mary and Phil are both well and they have a 'border'...Alistair,also known as 'Aggie'. Agg has a dog too so it is all very hectic around the joint.

Gerry and Mary hard at it.

Days 48, 49, 50 and 51.. Sunday to Wednesday, 4 to 7 August 2013.

Where have we been?  Travelling days, all the way from Ross River across to Alice Springs and then south to Kulgera, Coober Pedy, Woomera and here at Port Broughton.

Sunday morning's travel was bitter sweet, leaving the lovely Ross River and back to The Alice. Fuelled up there (heaps cheaper) and back to the Stuart Highway and further south for some 300 k's to Kulgera. This place is just a dusty outback roadhouse with a certain ambiance. Had a beer at the bar before 'happy hour'. Can of beer was $8. Asked what the price was during this 'happy hour'. The reply? '30 cents off'. Didn't bother. Went back to the van and had some from the 'fridge. Much better. So many stars to see when in the outback. Gerry just loves looking at the Milky Way stuff...to me, they are just stars.

That was Sunday. On Monday we continued down the highway towards Coober Pedy. A nice easy drive, stopped at Marla Bore for some fuel, cuppa coffee and a fruity bun and some manouvering around a pesky road train that had decided to park across one end of the bowser lane while he unloaded. Ahh, the carefree nature of the outback....priceless (but can be a pain in the ring-gear!).

Got to our favourite park at Coober Pedy at a reasonable hour. Geraldine had co-ordinated our trip to ensure that we stopped at this park so that we could have one of their famous pizzas. I agreed with that idea, 'coz they are REALLY good. But.....they are doing renovations now aren't they? The pizza oven is disconnected isn't it....back in operation of Friday, isn't it? But today is Monday! Do we stay until Friday? Nope, we get a pizza from 'John's' which is nearly as good...the red wine helps things along. We live!!!!

Tuesday was a drive south along a rather featureless highway for nearly 400 k's to Woomera. The highlight of the drive was having a 'burger with the lot at a place called Pimba. Turned left after the burger to Woomera. Parked the van at the tourist park (a dusty, well-used place), then had a walk around good old Woomera. Checked out a few displays of the old rocket stuff and the museum place. Went to the bar at about 1700 for happy hour. Had a chat with Rob and  'my name is Gay, not 'I am Gay', who hail from a place called Lara, just north of Geelong! Small world I keep saying! The bar is so basic it has a great ambiance. The grey nomads have their usual one or two drinks and go back to their vans and continue drinking their cheapies. The mining blokes stay at the bar until whenever.

Wake up Wednesday and there is dew on the car windows for the first time in weeks....and it is quite cold. Head off down towards Port Augusta. We are travelling in as south-westerly direction and the wind is a fairly stiff southerly...a bit of hard work for the car and me but we do alright! Stop at Augusta and pick up some provisions. Having turned left at the Eyre Highway we now travel towards Adelaide until the turn-off to Port Broughton...about 30 k's off the highway but beside the water. We get a lovely site right beside the bay. Set up camp, go for a walk along the pier (if there is a pier in a town, we will walk it!). Have a nice afternoon at the park, talk to the neighbours and watch the sun go down over said bay while we enjoy a beer/wine, but hell it's cold!

Tomorrow we will be back in a big city and shall be spending a few days with Mary and Phil at Port Willunga.

Day 47. Saturday 3rd August, 2013.

Another cold night so snuggle-up in bed until a reasonable hour then up for coffee. A quiet day and being the week-end, no construction work to interrupt the serenity.

Time to take the territory on a bit of rough-stuff on the road to N'Dhala Gorge. This is a 4WD track, part of what is known as Binns Track.  Google it and see. We cross the Ross River a number of times. There is water at all these crossing 'coz the crossing as actually lower than the water-table. A bit of sand here and there and rocky bits make it a great driving experience (that Geraldine would rather miss out on. Glad she let me buy the car!)

The Gorge is no-where near as spectacular as Trephina but this one does have the added feature of having very ancient aboriginal petroglyphs scattered here and there. We wander along and find some here and there. The National Parks have supplied only a few explanatory signs so it is all good fun...a bit like a treasure hunt really.

This is what a petroglyph looks like...may thousands of years old.

We spent about an hour wandering here and there and then made our way back to the homestead along the track....more fun.

A very relaxing afternoon, gathering firewood for tonight, visiting the homestead for souvenirs (must have those) and reading in the sunshine. This is a long week-end in the Territory and it is noticeable that there are many more campers in the park. Just as well we are moving on tomorrow.

Day 46. Friday 2nd August 2013.

A nice little sleep-in and then off we go for a huge 80 k drive to Ross River Homestead, which is located due east of Alice at the end of the Ross Highway.

We travelled along and through the East MacDonnell Ranges, spectacular country and not as well known as the West MacDonnell's. One really does need to visit both and appreciate their individual beauty.

We set up camp in a wonderful spot. It is quite isolated and the power is supplied by a generator that runs only from 0700 to 0900 and then again from 1630 to 2100-ish. Actually all times in the Territory as '-ish'. Anyway, although this place is isolated it is wonderful and a joy to behold....even though there is a lot of earth-moving going on nearby. management is improving the camp-ground and of course one cannot make an omelette without breaking an egg or two..therefore we do have some dust and noise but the ambiance of the place gets us over that little problem.We both loved it.

Ross River Homestead Resort

After the chats and things we drove to Trephina Gorge and went for a couple of long-ish walks. Beautiful country. The photos I took really do not do the place justice.

Trephina Gorge

The place is managed by Roman Long Ukrainian Name, who was a border at Chanel in Geelong at the same time I was St. Joey's. We had a chat about those times and he mentioned a few names that I knew. These sort of things never cease to amaze me. His son Shane runs the bar back at the actual homestead. Bit of a character is Shane and you can never be sure if he is fair dinkum or just taking the piss. We wandered over to the bar at about 1630-ish and he then organises for us to have a bit of a 4WD tour of the place courtesy of driver Jen, a young Canadian back-packer. Bloody rough trip it was too but a nice thing to do. 'Course when we got back we had to have a beer or two to talk about it...so we did.

I got a bit of firewood so that we could sit abound a nice fire before and after tea. Pure bliss.

Day 45. Thursday, 1 August 2012.

A relatively quiet day was had. We remained in Alice and journeyed out a few k's along the Ross River Highway and studied the near East MacDonnell Ranges. We wandered through Emily Gap and then Jessie Gap. Both a quite short but wide fissures through the ranges. There is also some very ancient aboriginal art to be seen. Not as elaborate as that seen in Kakadu, quite simple really but still has a story to tell.

We then went out further to a place called Corroboree Rock....a strange feature which is sacred to the Arrente people but 'tis said that they did not hold corroborees there. Go figure.

We had a 'picnic' lunch after we wandered around that place then back to the caravan park for a quiet afternoon spent reading in the sunshine and talking to some of the neighbours.

Corroboree Rock

View of Emily Gap

Day 44. Wednesday 31 July 2013.

The great plan has come to fruition. Would you believe that her ladyship decided that she would like to have a ride in a hot-air balloon? No? Neither did I, but she did.

So the step into the unknown was taken and we were awoken at 0440 this morning...yes, that's right 20 to 5 in the AM. I knew that it is very cold in The Alice at that time of day but 2 degrees, strewth....and we had to wait about 15 minutes for our transport to arrive. Anyway, enough whining.

Bus ride out to the launch (?) site and then stand around for a half-hour or so while the balloon is readied for take-off. The weather is perfect with very little wind. We leave solid ground at about 0645, with sunrise due here at about 0706. The ride is very gentle indeed. It is very quiet in the air until the pilot lets the gas burners go with a bloody great roar. I'm standing right next to them and for the first half-dozen times he gives the gas a blast I nearly take-off myself.

Ready for take-off

Outback Australia from a hot-air balloon.

Champers for brekky in the Outback

Anyway, we get to watch the sunrise from about 1200 feet, with the Outback desert and Macdonnel Ranges as a back-drop. Truly magnificent.  After about 30 minutes of this joy we get back to earth again, some-what east from where we started. So what does one do after one has enjoyed a wonderful hot-air balloon flight? Why one has a light breakfast with any amount of champagne thrown in...champagne brekky in the Outback. Marvellous.

We get back to the tourist park at about 0915 and have a quiet maintenance day...I organised for a local mechanic to come in and give the van a well-overdue service. Apparently the wheel-bearings should be checked and re-greased every 10,000 k's. We have done about 20,000 and wondering what the dirty liquid stuff abound the van's wheel-hubs was. Anyway, a couple of hours and a couple of dollars later all is now good to go.

At dinner time it was decided that we did not have enough champers this morning, so another bottle was opened and enjoyed in celebration....together with some Indian curries and rice. Great way to finish a great day. I am getting to like this place.

Days 40, 41, 42 and 43; Saturday July 27, Sunday 28, Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 July, all in 2013.

We left Cooinda on Saturday at a very civilised hour as we were travelling all of 100 k's to Mary River Roadhouse. This place is immediately outside the southern boundary of Kakadu National Park. The best way to describe it is 'rustic' but then again that is what roadhouse type accommodation/parks are all about.

We picked a nice site (we were the first one's there!) and noticed straight away that the bird-life around here was absolutely prolific. A cacophony of bird-song. Fantsamagorical!

After we had settled in and had lunch we travelled back into Kakadu to a place called Gunlom Falls. Now this is one out of the way place and is reached via a rough dirt road (very rough in some places) and I was expecting a heap of isolation....got none of that. Apparently this is a long week-end for The Territory and every man and his dog form around Darwin that is looking for a bit of adventure is right here! Notwithstanding that little issue, I found the place fascinating. Lovely plunge pool and a difficult climb of about 500 metres to the top of the falls, where there were more pools and lots of people taking a dip. We didn't have our bathers with us did we!... not to worry.

The top of Gunlom Falls...look carefully and you can see the creek flowing over the top.

We spent the afternoon enjoying the ambiance there and then did the drive back to Mary River. The Territory handled the rough stuff and corrugations very well. Most happy.

After the dinner we had a few drinks and a long conversation with our overnight neighbours, Nico and Christine and their three young children. These happen to come from a place called Eindhoven, Noord Brabant, Nederland. Currently living in Hing Kong, where Nico is the general manager for a small company by the name of Philips....and they both follow P.S.V.

Left Mary River bright and early on Sunday and made our way uneventfully to Hi-Way Inn. That is the name of the roadhouse and location. Nothing else there but we did have a nice site overlooking lots of small termite mounds.

Table is set for dinner: Hi-Way Inn Roadhouse

On Monday we travelled further south for 530 k's (nothing in between) to Wycliffe Well, where we had stayed overnight. Again nothing of note happened, just an easy driving day, watching the geography change and we move along.

Tuesday (is it really Tuesday?) was another easy-going day travelling another 400 k's or so south to Alice Springs. Tried out a new Tourist park called 'G'day Mate' (true). 'Tis truly a nice place to stay. Geraldine was very happy to be in a town of some size so that a bit of retail therapy could be enjoyed. We walked around for quite some time, visiting a shop here and a shop there but would you believe nothing was bought???!!! What gives?

We have booked in for something truly exciting tomorrow...we'll see if it comes off and if it does, I shall report on it on my next post. 'Bye.

The Kakadu Adventure

Day 36 Tuesday 23 July 2013, Day 37 Wednesday 24 July 2013, Day 38 Thursday 25 July 2013 and Day 39 Friday 26 July 2013

We are have been having such a great time in the Kakadu National Park that I was toying with the idea of starting a whole new blog, just about Kakadu. However, seeing that we started our Kakadu adventure on Monday, it just will not make sense, so on we go.

I have read reviews about this particular park and there is a fair bit of negativity about it. I will put my hand up and say that after a couple of days of experience those who espouse the 'Kaka-don't' point of view, have been too slack, lazy, unadventurous, spoilt, or whatever. This place is worth every cent of the 25 bucks a head that it costs to do the journey.

We stayed at Jabiru for three nights. Stopped off at Merl camp-ground where we stayed over-night some 25 years ago. A slight accident (requiring some 7 sutures the next day) meant that things that were meant to be done were not done. The camp ground has had tremendous change and now has much more vegetation than in 1988.

We walked around Ubirr, looked at the very old art (some may say VERY old graffiti)  wandered around mother nature's art near East Alligator River at Bardedilidji, through woodlands beside East Alligator River, looked at crocs. up close, wandered up to the top of Obiri Rock and watched the sunset (with about 150 others but absolutely glorious), bought fresh multi-grained rolls and apricot/apple scrolls at the Jabiru bakery (yum) and then...

  At the limestone art wrought by Nature, near Ubirr.

 

Aboriginal Rock Art at Ubirr

View from the top of Obiri Rock, near sunset.

Enjoying the view, Obiri Rock.

Wandered around the lands of Nourlangie, viewed more rock art, wondered how the original inhabitants lived in this land and sheltered in and around the rocks. Walked around the Anbongbong Billabong and saw lots of bird-life and walked up close to a crocodile in the wild (luckily he (or she) was just sunning itself and presented no danger to use (as long as we stayed some distance away), climbed to the top of a large rocky outcrop, named Nanguluwur. Went on a 6 kilometres hike during the hottest part of the day to drink some water beside Gubara pools, 'coz the guide said that it was 'a pleasant place to spend the heat of the day', which we read to mean the whole walk, not just the place. Wrong.  We earned our beer that night! Walking through sandy creek beds is bloody hard work for us grey nomads!

Aboriginal Rock Art at Nourlangie Rock.

Anbongbong Billabong with Nourlangie Rock in background and crocodile at water's edge.

Ending the day with a swim in the pool, a beer and feed (of over-cooked barra) at the pool-side bistro was a lovely way to conclude the Jabiru experience...so off to Cooinda, a whole 52 or 53 k's down the road.

In that region (which is also called Yellow-waters) we wandered through very typical Kakadu open-forest and nearly got bushed....but the red car is very visible if one is in the right area! Then thought we were on the right track for the Mardugal Billabong and missed it by that much (a half-hour walk to no-where) so later we had to enjoy a lovely swim in the Cooinda Resort pool...

Then on the next day we had to get up while it was still dark so that we could do a touristy 'sunrise' boat tour of Yellow Waters. A bloody marvellous experience. Although the temperature was quite cool (for a change) we enjoyed watching the sun rise over the flood plains, with steam rising off the water and grasslands. Saw lotsa bird-life of various descriptions, a water buffalo and crocs here and crocs there....Gerry even stated that she was 'croced out'. Another walk to the top of a hill to see the surrounding area and we were walked out. So, off to the pool for a relaxing swim followed by one beer at the bar. Spag bol and a quiet red for dinner again. All is good.

Buffalo at Yellow Waters

Off to Mary River Roadhouse tomorrow....followed by a couple of days here and there as we head to Alice Springs, (yes back to the fresher temperatures!) We will not have on-line access during this time, so see you later and keep well, we are!!!

Day 34 Sunday 21 July and Day 35 Monday 22 July 2013.

Sunday was our last full day in Darwin. After morning walkies, ablutions and brekky, we had a few things to do to get the van and car ready for touring again after our fortnight off. So we did those things very slowly and without any method and minimal planning. Having plenty of time to fluff around and do stuff was good.

Later in the afternoon we went for a drive back to Darwin CBD, stopping off here and there to take a few last photos of this and that that we hadn't done at some other time but should have.

Darwin CBD from Charles Darwin Park

Sign at Charles Darwin Park: Advice or a head-line...you choose!

Having done that we lashed out and bought a cold roast chook from Woolies and proceeded to Jan's place for last drinks and dinner. She had the footy going when we got there with the cats 5 goals up at that time. I got myself comfortable and the girls went outside to chat (Jan is a bombers supporter and Gerry just doesn't care). Given the result of the game I should have gone outside with them as well! Bloody disgraceful. Anyway.....

After a slap-up dinner of chook and pre-prepared salad (also from Woolies but by Jan) we said our good-byes and thank you's and what-have-you's and returned to the van.

Up at the usual time on Monday but no walkies, just ablutions and brekky. Hitched the van up without any dramas and off to Kakadu we go. Fewer than 250 k's to destination. Stopped at a place called Bark Hut on the way. That place has changed dramatically since we were last there 25 years ago....still has a lot of character but much more orientated towards tourists these days.

Seen better days at Bark Hut.

Arrived at Jabiru at about lunch-time. We stayed at the Kakadu Aurora Resort and Caravan park (or something like that). It's a very large park with the van sites in circular fashion, each site being larger as you move to the outer circles....great geometry.The pool, bar and cafe/restaurant are in the very centre of the park.  Also it's a 'pick your own site', so we did that and set up.

After the obligatory shopping excursion we spent a while lazing about the pool. Spent a beautiful evening , with a full moon, some cloud about and very balmy temperature. Just made for a quiet ale or two. Good-night.

Day 33. Saturday 20 July 2013.

It's Saturday, hence a nice half-hour sleep-in and then coffee and brekky....no early morning walkies on a Saturday!

Just hung around the park for the morning and then into Darwin we go. Stopped  to check out the Charles Darwin National Park on the way. Go for a bit of a wander to the look-out and who should be pass, none other than Donny Phalp who is having a picnic there with his friends Alan and Maria. So we stop and say g'day and make arrangements for a quiet get together at happy hour time. 

At the harbour we sauntered (at Bali pace) along the sea-wall and 'round the Waterfront area, checking out all the places and shops we hadn't yet seen or been in. Geraldine bought herself a very nice necklace and found that that was such hard work that we had to go to the nearest licensed premises that had a view over the water and have a nice cold savvy blanc to recover. Extremely pleasant.

Later we went for a bit of a drive past Casuarina shopping centre to check out the house that Bill and Jill lived in years ago when they lived up here. Found it easily enough and it appears to be a good area. There were tradies hanging around the front so I didn't take a photo of it. Sorry Bill.

Go to the pool for a swim later in the day while Geraldine sits and reads her book or chats with anyone who cares to chat with her. Can be very talkative the old girl when she is in the mood (which is often).

The Pool area.

I have a couple of tinnies with Phalpy and chat about things that ex-coppers chat about then back to the van for happy hour. Tonight we go next door to Lyn and Jack who hail from from the northern climes of Melbourne (Reservoir way), ex-teachers. A wonderful time was had and we exchange our details 'coz they have a holiday house in Ocean Grove and they intend to invite us there during the summer. Isn't that nice...wait til they really get to know us.

Hey spag bol and a red wine for dinner tonight. Excellent.....and I will not watch the cricket!

Day 32. Friday 19 July 2013.

A quietish (spell-checker doesn't like that word at all) day. We thought that it would make a nice change to go for a swim in the salt water rather than the pool today. So off we choofed to Mindil Beach which is not that far from the centre of Darwin.

Arrive at the car park (which is where the night market is held) and it appears pretty well full. Move onto the beach and see that half of it is taken up by the the Life Saving Association (or whatever) who is holding their Australian Inflatable Rubber Boat (IRB) championships here today! Not to worry, we find that there is plenty of room further along the beach. There is even a life guard on duty there...yep, one. Gets to sit under a gazebo and gets to watch over us crazy tourists (this is not the time of year to go swimming according to the locals) while all his mates are having fun at the carnival. No wonder he looks pissed off!

The lonely life guard. Mindil Beach

Anyway, we have a swim in the nice warmish water (very warm by Victorian standards) but there is no surf! We find that the conditions are not all that pleasant, so after a couple of hours and a couple of swims, we head back to base and have a quiet time until dinner.

No happy hour tonight...we are off to enjoy an 'all you can eat' seafood and steak dinner at a place called 'The Jetty' which is at Darwin Waterfront. A very busy area at this time on a Friday evening and finding a car park was a hassle was eventually one was found. Yay! The Jetty is a nice establishment and we were shown to a fine table on the outside deck. Pleasant view over Darwin Harbour, so all was good except that the food was not really all that flash. Just passing acceptable I suppose. Must be getting cranky in my old age. Anyway, we enjoy ourselves enough and do not leave hungry.

After tea I get to watch a bit of the footy and Gerry does her thing, i.e. goes off to bed for a read and a sleep.

Day 31. Thursday 18 July 2013.

O.K. Now where were we? Oh yes, Darwin......

No walkies this morning, we decided that the old bones needed a bit of a rest.

Off to see the fish feeding frenzy thing at a place called Doctor's Gully. We visited there some 25 years ago, so I know the drill, I just wanted to see if there have been any changes. Strewth have there been some changes! It is now completely commercialised and has the name of 'Aquascene' and instead of being freeone now pays to see and feed the fishies. Ahh, progress.

Getting ready to feed the fishies.

Still, mustn't whinge. We dutifully line up with the other tourists (locals don't visit), pay up and happily grab some bread and feed the fish. Is this some variation of the loaves and fishes parable or what? We spend some time amusing ourselves and the fish and then being amused watching other people do their thing.

We then wander off into the CBD and have a look around...Gerry needs some retail therapy from time to time and just looking around does the trick. Didn't even need to buy anything for a change. Had lunch in town before heading back via the bottle shop. I think the spend at the bottle shop is more than the spend at the petrol pump for a change. Oh well, pay day next week.

Back at the park I decide to go for a swim in the pool but it is shut again. Notice that the same sign advising that the pool is shut because of a problem with the pump, is displayed again. One of the maintenance guys has been beavering away at the garden and I reckon that is the real reason that the pool is closed...oh well.

We head off and collect Jan at about 4.30 p.m. Head off to the Mindel market to grab some tucker and a new hat for me....see previous entry for the reason why and see picture below for the choice. I like it, Gerry likes it too 'coz it makes her laugh! After wandering around for a short time we head off to East Point, find a nice spot and set up camp. Consume said tucker and a couple of drinks and watch the sun set over the bay....bloody magnificent. After dark we head back to Jan's place so that the girls can keep chatting and finish off their wine. Me, I'm driving so I just vege.

The Hat

Back at the van I decide to have a quick night cap and watch some of the cricket...that is the signal for Gerry to wander off to bed! Pommies 3 for not many at lunch which means nighty night for me.

Day 30. Wednesday 17 July 2013.

Today we have decided to be adventurous and spend a couple of hours at the wave pool, Darwin Waterfront.

Morning session starts at 1000 and we are there at 1015. We show our Seniors Cards very proudly and it costs us a whole 3 bucks each for four hours of fun....true grey nomad tight-arse stuff.

The wave pool thing is that the wave action starts on the hour and half-hour. The action lasts for 20 minutes (precisely) and then it rests for 10 minutes after which the action starts all over again. The facilities are great, the water temperature is just right and we have a ball gamboling around in the waves like a couple of kids. Just as well no-one knows us here otherwise bad stories might get back. We are even well-organised enough to have brought our lunch with us, so we can utilise the full four hours...which we nearly do. We find that so much 'gamboling' is bloody hard work after a while, so we call it quits after the one o'clock session (that was nearly 1.30 for those of you that haven't been listening.)

Wave Pool at Darwin Waterfront.

We eventually get back to the park and just relax, read a book and recover from the morning's exertions. Happy hour comes and goes, have a bit of a conversation with our new neighbours, Jack and Lyn. The I get to watch State of Origin rugby league and Gerry gets to go to bed early.

Day 29. Tuesday 16 July 2013.

Still in Darwin and will be for a while yet.

Got up at the usual time and went for our constitutional wander along the Stuart Highway shared footway or bike path if you prefer. Actually there are heaps of these things around the town....leaves Geelong for dead in this regard. We have some good ones but Darwin is really set-up well for commuting from the suburbs into town by bike. Some of the riders even use their bell to warn you of their approach...impressive.

We have decided to do a touristy thing or two today, so we head off to the Kakadu Highway to where it crosses the Adelaide River (not to be confused with the township of Adelaide River which is over 100 k's south of here) to do a bit of crocodile spotting. The family did something similar when we were up here in 1988. That was on a two storey boat but today we have decided to go with a smaller operation and hence a smaller boat.

We left the park at about 9.15 'coz we had to be there before 11. Had plenty of time so we stopped off at a place called Fogg Dam. The dam is really just a low earthen wall with a single lane road over the top. This wall creates a huge wet-land and even now during the dry there is sufficient water about to support a squillion birds.

Wetlands at Fogg Dam.

There is a sign near the start of the dam, that asks visitors to give the wall a break and walk over it rather than drive. However, just a bit further along there is another sign that states that walking across the wall is forbidden due to the presence of a large saltwater crocodile.....hence we drove!

After a quick look at the wetlands we drove onto the place where the croc tour departed. Still got there in plenty of time.

The boat is a glorified tinny really that seats about 30 persons.The sides have been built up to prevent the crocs from actually jumping into the boat and munching on a tourist or two...hope that it is high enough!

The tour guide is a bloke names Harry and he knows where all the crocs are and we have an extremely close look at quite a few. Two of them are great big males, one of which (Brutus) actually smashes into the side of the boat with his head when he misses the meat that is dangled off a pole for him to jump at. Scared the bejaysus out of us. The tour goes up and down the Adelaide River for a bit over an hour. This is a lovely bit of water. A very pleasant journey was had and I would recommend this tour to anyone. The only sad thing is whilst boarding someone lost his prized straw hat when a sudden gust of wind blew it off my head and into the Adelaide River it went....in spite of me having pulled it down as hard as I could prior to getting on the ramp. Nobody was game to jump in the water to try and retrieve it, especially the owner of said hat!

A Jumping Crocodile, Adelaide River.

After the tour we moved back towards Darwin a bit and stopped at the Humpty Doo pub for lunch. This is mining country and the clientele frequenting the outside dining area is salt-of-the-earth in nature and colourful in language. A broad mind was needed but the food was good and the re-introduced Territory Draught was cold and beautiful. I asked for a couple of draughts, expecting to get two pots (middies up here) but got two schooners (bloody big pots according to Darren) instead. One of those was enough for the driver..

The Boxing Crocodile at Humpty Doo...showing its age.

Had a nice quiet afternoon by the pool again. After dinner I challenged Geraldine to a game of euchre. Must have had a brain fade again....got beat up good.

Day 28. Monday 15 July 2013.

Out of bed early enough as always. Turn on the telly for a change and get informed that we lost the test by 16 runs. Turn telly off.

Nothing to report today really as were decided just to catch up with the grocery shopping and spend the afternoon in and around the pool.

Gerry's friend, Jan, is house sitting her daughter's (Pauline by name) new house. Pauline's family have decided to do something different and have headed off to Queenstown, New Zealand, for some snow-skiing. That should give their three children a real education! Anyway we wander over at about 5, Gerry armed with a bottle of wine and me with two stubbies, 'coz I'm allowed to drive again.

We spent the evening sitting beside the pool (of course they have one), chatting, eating take-away Chinese tucker, the girls drinking their wine and after the stubbies, I get to have a delightful water or two.

Hardly worth doing a blog isn't it....we'll have to lift our game and do a few more adventurous things. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

The van at Darwin...with the sun shades

Day 27. Sunday 14 July 2013.

What can one say about the weather in Darwin during the dry? Mostly sunny with the temperature in the low 30's, that is 31, 32 or 33. That's it. Very pleasant first thing in the a.m. Generally it is about 23, 24 degrees and calm at that time. Terrific for a brisk walk...which is what we do at about 7 a.m. The wind comes up mid-morning and blows fairly constantly from the east. It then settles down as evening arrives and the temperature drops to the high 20's. This is repeated day after day after day, until one gets totally bored with it.....I lie.

After the usual walk, quiet brekky and ablutions, we venture off to the Darwin Military Museum. This place is a relatively new venture and is a work in progress. However a reasonable display has been put together already. The 'piece de resistance' is a short film that has been put together which tells the story of the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese in February 1942. Having visited the war cemetery at Adelaide River where many of those killed during the air raids are buried, I found the whole thing very evocative. War is definitely not healthy for women, children and other living things!

The museum is based around one of the 9 pound guns that were built at East Point to defend Darwin from sea-borne attack....apparently nobody thought about the air-borne type which made these giant things absolutely useless...bugger!

The useless gun...humans are there for size comparison only.

We spent a couple of hours quietly wandering around the displays before heading back to base after a bit of shopping (more beer, more beer, more beer etc.) and then hung around the pool during the arvo. Had another chat with Phalpy who was there with a couple of friends. Watched a bit of the cricket (Gerry said 'bugger it' and went off to bed, not a fan of cricket is young Gezza!). Watched it until their lunch and I go to bed. 20 runs to get. Improbable but possible. Night, night, sleep tight, bloody midgees bite!

Day 26. Saturday 13 July 2013.

Today is Saturday. So its sleep-in day. Thought we'd do the same thing that we do at home and that is have a coffee in bed while watching a morning show on the telly. Drank the coffee and then Geraldine decides that she does not want to do the things we do at home, we are on holidays....out of bed and go and sit outside. No more telly.

After a leisurely brekky of bacon and eggs we drive off to the east Point area, park the car near Fannie Bay shops and go for a brisk walk along the foreshore. At one point we have the ocean on one side and a nice lake with green lawns around it on the other. Very pleasant.

After that it was over to a suburban area called Cullen Bay, an up-market marina area. Decided to have a coffee at a cafe called the Boathouse. Being quite warm now an iced-coffee was called for....that is what we got, espresso coffee shot with ice and a bit of frothy sweet milk. It was like having an ice-cold long black or macchiato. Not like a real iced-coffee. Oh well.

A late lunch and a nice dip in the pool after that. Left the pool area a bit early so that I could get onto the computer and stream the footy transmission. Decided 3 AW was the go. Sounds like the game was really scrappy due to the cold, wind and rain. What are those things?

No photos today. Sorry.

Day 21. Monday 8th July 2013.

Left Batchelor nine-ish for the 100 k trip to Darwin. Got to the Hidden Valley Tourist Park (they used to be known as 'caravan parks') bright and early before lunch. Feels really hot under the sun here, so the new you-beaut sun-shades are now in use.

Off to the supermarket to re-stock. Had to get some 'Carlton Dry' for Geraldine, who has developed a taste for same. Reckons it is more refreshing than white wine on a hot afternoon. Subjective but relevant.

Day 22. Tuesday 9th July 2013.

'Tis happy birthday to the lovely Geraldine, 62 years young. Gerry enjoyed a chat with Justine, Sam and Emily via Skype. We then had a quiet morning wandering around the Darwin foreshore, had a look at the wave pool and swimming area. Looks inviting. Might give it a try some time.We also crossed the road and had a look at the old World War 2 underground oil-storage area. These tunnels were built into the cliffs straight under Darwin City. They are VERY big but also very secure from the bombing that took place.

After a quiet day we were off to dinner with Geraldine's child-hood friend, Jan Easy (nee Ryan). We picked her up from her place and she presented Gerry with a parcel of birthday cards which had been sent to Jan's place by the kids, grand-kids and others. The old girl became some-what emotional, she loved it!

Not a bad meal at a Darwin restaurant...bit like the old curate's egg, some good bits, some ordinary bits. But still, a nice time was had.

Wave Pool, Darwin Foreshore.

Inside one of the oil storage tunnels under Darwin.

Day 23. Wednesday 10th July 2013.

We are now going for an hour's walk first thing in the mornings...trying to maintain some sort of fitness. After brekky etc we're off into Darwin city (we are about 10 k's out). Hair-cut, walk around, cuppa coffee, then to Casuarina shopping centre for some more therapy. Back to the park and go for a swim. While in the pool I happen to recognise a bloke I used to work with...ex-Senior Constable Don Phalp, known as 'Phalpy', from Anglesea, Torquay and Geelong. He is travelling around Australia in his camper van and by happen-chance is staying here at the same park. Bloody small world I say. Have to have a beer with him now don't I, so I do. We do the usual ex-copper thing, that is talk about everything and anything except the job.

Day 24. Thursday 11th July 2013.

Another nice, hot 32 degree day. We decide to have a quiet day around the pool, before heading to the Night Market at Mindel. This market is somewhat different to most as while you have the usual market stalls, there is just about every type of food that you can think of available. Beautiful. More damage to the diet!

Darwin Sunset from Mindel Beach.

Day 25. Friday 12th July 2013.

After our usual Darwin morning routine we head off to the Territory Museum and Art Gallery. This place has a gallery that displays about all of the different aboriginal art styles found throughout the country. I thought that that style of art consisted of just dots...but no.

The display that is really the highlight, as well as thought-provoking, is the one that relates to the 'before, during and after' of  Cyclone Tracey. There are the usual old photographs and videos but there is also a sound-booth where a recording of the actual noise made by the winds, rain and crashing debris is played. It is really worth a visit.

After wandering around the museum for a couple of hours we do a bit of a tour around the area known as East Point. Very picturesque and a different perspective of Darwin is had from there.

We wanted to go for a swim after lunch but the bloody pool was closed due to a 'problem with the pump'. So mooch around the van instead...just as well it is severe beer-danger weather!

 Darwin from East Point.

Back Again, Again.

At Litchfield National Park, before Darwin.

It has now been a bit over a week and I have the time and inclination to re-visit the blog, just in case some-one out there is actually trying to follow it.

My last post was on 3rd of July, that being a Wednesday. Gerry and I have been quite busy since then. What I didn't realise at the time is that 3 July is the third anniversary of my retirement...three years already, how time flies.

On Thursday 4th July we travelled back south quite a few k's along a scenic route, to Douglas Hot Springs. We were last there in 1988. as expected it has changed quite a bit. There is now quite a camping ground there. The main spring has been shot-off from the public 'cause it is a aboriginal site of significance. However it is now quite easy to move downstream and find the spot where the very hot spring water meets the cold Douglas River...although quite shallow sitting in it is very relaxing.

Soaking at Douglas Hot Springs

After a bit of a paddle and a soak (ya' couldn't call it a swim) we had lunch near the river. We then moved off back to the Stuart Highway and stopped at Adelaide River pub. A great looking place, so we had to have a beer. The pub has got the stuffed water buffalo that was in the Crocodile Dundee movies mounted in the bar! Bloody long horns.

Charlie the buffalo, Adelaide River Pub.

Next day we travelled some 80'k northerly, bloody near Darwin, to Berry Springs. Spent a few hours wandering around the Territory Wildlife Park (fancy name for a native zoo really), then a swim at Berry Springs (very deep, clear water) after lunch. Lovely.

The idea for Saturday was to travel along this 4 W D track to some old homestead and another waterfall. However we met a creek crossing only a few hundred metres into the drive. After watching a couple of bigger Pajero type 4 W D's get through I decide that the water is too deep for the Territory (which has a low air intake for the diesel). So we turn around and head back to Wangi Falls. Join the throng there for lunch and do the walk around the top (again).

The main pool at Berry Springs...delightful.

Big footy game on Saturday nite wasn't there...yeah Wallabies v British Lions. No TV or internet reception at the van, so go to the bar where they have a booster and digital reception. Got to the TV and had the remote for a while, so a saw the start of the Cats v Hawks classic. Then I was pestered (nicely I must say) by these rugby types to switch over every now and again to get a score. I did that for a while, then we lost the signal, so I went back to the van. Still no luck with the TV, no internet reception and the radio was all noise. I eventually wandered back to the bar and lo and behold, we have a TV signal...on the rugby. Watch it til the end. Wallabies got flogged so the rugby-ites wandered off which left three blokes to sit back and watch the last quarter of the real footy. A happy result in the end...Gerry reckons that I was like a cat on a hot tin roof all evening...who me???

View of part of Litchfield Tourist Park

Quiet day on Sunday. Just mooch around a bit, doing some maintenance stuff that may or may not have needed doing. Gerry did some washing, I washed the car (allowed to use ya hose here), visited the bar for last drinks and got ourselves psyched for the long drive to Darwin the next day...all of 100 k's.

 A Jabaru that visited the paddock behind our van, LTP.

The days of Litchfield National Park

The days of Litchfield National Park.

For those who have been wondering what has happened to the marvelous blog, the following should let you know.

Geraldine and I arrived at the Litchfield Tourist Park last Friday, 28th June. Even though we are only 13 k's from the township of Batchelor, the caravan park has no connectivity with Telstra mobile, unless one stands out near the roadway and a VERY weak signal MAY be received. Hence no blogging while we are there.

We have decided to have a quiet day today and drive into Batchelor to do some shopping and other things, so I have taken advantage of the VERY strong signal here and do come computer stuff, like banking and footy tips and super-coach and a very quick blog. The blog is only short 'coz the lap-top is running off battery, which as we all know has a limited time.

We have been having a good look around Litchfield Park, with lots of walking/hiking/climbing, looking at lots of scenery and sights (are they the same thing?). We will be touring to the Daly/Douglas park area and Berry Springs over the next few days. We should then be in Darwin as planned next Monday 8th July. I intend to compose a nice detailed blog when we get there.

Cheers and hope you are having a good time, 'coz we are.

 Lovely scenery at The Lost City

A dip in the pool ABOVE Tjaetaba Falls

Many days....Day 5 Saturday 22 June through to Day 10 Thursday 27 June.

So this is how the travelling went over the last few days...

On 22 June we left Coober Pedy nice and early, hoping to get as far as Kulgera, which is some 70 K's over the border in Northern Territory ( NT from now on). However conditions were most favourable and we arrived there in time for a late lunch. After said lunch we decided to push on further north to Stuarts Well, the home of 'Dinky' the famous singing dingo. This place is about 90 k's south of The Alice.

We decided that that was enough travel for the day and booked in there. We also found out that Dinky's owner, Jim, sold out about 2 months ago and both he and Dinky have retired to Alice. We also found out that the is no mobile connectivity there, hence no blog. Got to sit around a camp-fire though and listen to an old 'know-all' spruik on about any subject you like.....and I thought I had cornered that particular market, Max beat me hands down.

Under the gum trees at Stuarts Well, NT.

Next day we moved out at a reasonable hour and stopped at Alice to get some provisions and other stuff. We had done all the touristy things around there last year so after an hour or so we drove on until we reached Wycliffe Well, home of aliens. Again no connectivity but we could get the Geelong v Brissy game on the telly. What a shocking result, wot the??? Went to bed very sad and somewhat befuddled (by the footy not the VB's). So much for Sunday.

A busy time was had at Wycliffe Well.

Monday was spent driving further north past the Devil's Marbles, through Tennant Creek and Elliott (refer to last year's blog...still no glass in the joint) and arrived at the 'Historic Daly Waters Pub in the later afternoon. By that time the caravan park adjacent to the pub was chockers (and I mean chockers). The sheila at reception (she was Irish and that could be her name but probably not) assured me that there were no powered sites left so I paid for an unpowered site. However, Mike, the bloke showing the patrons where to park their vans, was a very nice fellow and proceeded to find us a fully powered site. Just because there was no room left to swing a cat didn't make it any less appreciated.

Cheek by jowl at Daly Waters

After setting up we wandered around the town for a bit (that takes all of five minutes), then into the pub for a middie or two. We booked in for a 'steak and barra' dinner which we were able to get at 7.30 p.m. Strewth, that's nearly my bedtime these days. Anyway, we sat in the beer garden and listed to the 'entertainment' until dinner arrived. Very tasty it was. The whole show finished off at 9.30 p.m. so off to bed it was. Still no connectivity, therefore no blog.

Then it was Tuesday (strange that Monday is followed by Tuesday, even when on a travelling trip) and we stopped at Mataranka, an hour and a half up the road. We stayed at The Homestead, which has a nice bar and a nice thermal pool and other good things, so we stayed for two days. So this entry includes Wednesday...

The bloke in the caravan behind us introduced himself as 'Phil the fireman' from Brissy. He and his wife (Tanya) are very friendly and love a chat. However, he is VERY Rugby League and all he can think about is Wednesday night's rugby State of Origin. So Tuesday night was spent quietly, after a lovely dip in the Thermal Pool...oh and the daily temperature is now about 32 degrees, with the overnight minimum about 20. LOVELY.

On Wednesday we took an early morning walk to Stevie's Hole and beyond. A couple of dips in the Thermal Pool and then it was time to meet Phil and Tanya (and others) at the bar for happy hour. We left them at 6.00 pm 'coz they were really getting excited about the state of origin and Gerry and I just wanted to eat our dinner.

We were visited by a couple of small wallabies (very cute) while we were sitting outside. When they nicked off, we nicked off to bed. Oh, there was connectivity at Mataranka but I was way too busy to do any blogging. Oh well.

Our night time visitors at Mataranka

On Thursday we travelled another hour and a bit up the road to Katherine. We stayed at the same park as last year, got the same site, with the same bloody tree in the way of an easy park. Just as well I  knew that Phil Bates, the manager, would direct me into this tight spot, otherwise I would still be trying to get in.

As we were about to complete setting up, this bloke wanders past, asks the usual 'where are you from' type question and after some appropriate (friendly) replies, he tells me he is from Warracknabeal. I advise that that is the birth-place of my beloved. After some further chat we discover that he was taught by Gerry's father way back when he was in primary school at 'Warrick'.Introduces himself as 'Geoff Adams". He is now 73 years old but remembers 'Mr. Hogan' fondly. Wouldn't tell us what his nick-name was though. He and his wife knew all of Gerry's relations in that area, including John Foott. Bloody small world.

Off to the supermarket....it's Thursday and it's as busy as, what with grey nomads getting their pensions/income stream payments today and the locals doing the same thing, all spending up big. After some lunch it's a dip in the pool. The water is a lot flamin' colder then the water at Mataranka, but 'tis refreshing on a warm afternoon. It is now 'happy hour' and the writing for the day is done. Tomorrow its off to Batchelor and the Litchfield National Park, for 10 days. Yay.