It is Sunday now and we have been home for 2 nights and a day. We are slowly coming back down to earth and will be back at work tomorrow. It all seems so strange and almost unreal but it is nice to be back in a comfy warm bed that you don’t have to climb into and I am slowly reintroducing myself to the kitchen and the pantry. So much space!! Our pets Ellie and Rosie were very glad to see us and us them. We really missed their companionship which was evident everywhere we met animals along the way. Our thanks go to Mum, Dad, Andy and our neighbours who looked after the animals and kept watch over our place, they look better than when we left.
In the end we travelled over 10,000km and stayed in 14 different places (Katherine and Kununurra twice at different points). We put the van up 15 times and down 14 times and are certainly experts at it. The kids even managed to put it up on their own once!
Many thanks for the feedback and comments that I have received regarding the blog. It has been a good way to record and share our travels with you which has been a very special experience and time for our family.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Day 34 Darwin and HOME!!
Last day today. The packing up has started and I do not know how I am going to fit everything that I need to take home in the suitcase that Mum and Dad have brought for us to pack up in. Typically, the kids have found friends to play with and spent the morning with them in the pool. Bags did eventually get put together and being still too early we had some lunch together and went for a quick drive into Charles Darwin National Park, where we learned more about Japan and America’s involvement in World War Two. There is a great lookout over Darwin from the park and it was a good place to reflect on all the things we have done here.
Quick trip to the supermarket for plane snacks and back to the van for a final change(it will be very cold in Melbourne) and it is hard to believe that it is all over. It seems very strange to be walking (well, flying really) away from the things that have housed and transported us so well for the last month. Someone asked me during our trip how we were coping being in such close confines with each other for such a long time. My response was that you live your reality. The car and van were our reality for 5 weeks (the visit to Bill’s place notwithstanding) and I never felt claustrophobic in either. Most days that we had stopped we were sightseeing, walking or swimming in the pool. The days we were on the road we had to cover huge distances in some of the most vast and open places I have ever visited.
Quick trip to the supermarket for plane snacks and back to the van for a final change(it will be very cold in Melbourne) and it is hard to believe that it is all over. It seems very strange to be walking (well, flying really) away from the things that have housed and transported us so well for the last month. Someone asked me during our trip how we were coping being in such close confines with each other for such a long time. My response was that you live your reality. The car and van were our reality for 5 weeks (the visit to Bill’s place notwithstanding) and I never felt claustrophobic in either. Most days that we had stopped we were sightseeing, walking or swimming in the pool. The days we were on the road we had to cover huge distances in some of the most vast and open places I have ever visited.
Day 32 and 33 Darwin
We knew that there would be a lot to do Darwin and we weren’t wrong. Our first stop was meant to be the Qantas hangar and the home of the Motor Vehicle Enthusiasts Club of the NT collection of classic and vintage cars, motorbikes and trucks. Problem is that we had quite a bit of trouble locating this place and we ended up heading up to East Point and we visited the Military Museum there. We learned a lot about the Japanese bombing of Darwin, something that we were aware of but had no idea of the devastation that occurred here over the months towards the end of World War II.
We did eventually find the Qantas hangar and then went into town (Darwin really doesn’t feel like a city) for some lunch. I treated myself by trying on a $135,000 strand of pearls at Paspaley Pearls. The afternoon was spent marvelling at the sheer size of the B-52 Bomber that is housed in yet another hangar, this one purpose built for displaying this mighty beast and a number of smaller aircraft.
The guide here was extremely knowledgeable about the B-52 and he talked for ages which would have been boring except it was so interesting to hear what these planes were used for and how they actually fly. It seems impossible that they could even get off the ground.
Next visit and second last for the day was to Aquascene Fish Feeding. We had heard a bit about this place and it was a bit daggy but to have wild fish of many different varieties swimming around your feet was very exciting. Some of the fish even came to the surface and took the bread from our hands.
After watching the sunset from the wharf we went to my Aunty and Uncles for a BBQ dinner and to meet Mum and Dad who are bringing the car and caravan home for us.
Thursday we did some more sightseeing around Darwin with Mum and Dad. We spent a few (free) hours in Darwin’s brilliant (airconditioned) Museum with its Cyclone Tracy Exhibit and another hour or so in the wave pool on the waterfront after having lunch at Stokes Hill Wharf. The museum is a must see in my opinion, it is every bit as good as ours here in Melbourne, just on a smaller scale.
We didn’t save much energy for our evening, however which we planned long ago to spend at the Mindil Beach Markets, something we have been looking forward to for some time when we realised that we would be in Darwin for the first Market of the season. What we were not prepared for was the seething mass of humanity that we came apon. We found a car park not far from the market but the sheer volume of people was truly amazing, even by Melbourne Show or Footy Finals in Melbourne standard. We did make a few special purchases and found dinner. Justin had lots of turns at the whip cracking and it would appear that he has quite the knack for it.
We decided to escape the madding crowd and not wait around for the fireworks. Maccas and 50c cones were a really good idea and then we found a vantage point not far from the market to see the fireworks, which did not disappoint.
We did eventually find the Qantas hangar and then went into town (Darwin really doesn’t feel like a city) for some lunch. I treated myself by trying on a $135,000 strand of pearls at Paspaley Pearls. The afternoon was spent marvelling at the sheer size of the B-52 Bomber that is housed in yet another hangar, this one purpose built for displaying this mighty beast and a number of smaller aircraft.
The guide here was extremely knowledgeable about the B-52 and he talked for ages which would have been boring except it was so interesting to hear what these planes were used for and how they actually fly. It seems impossible that they could even get off the ground.
Next visit and second last for the day was to Aquascene Fish Feeding. We had heard a bit about this place and it was a bit daggy but to have wild fish of many different varieties swimming around your feet was very exciting. Some of the fish even came to the surface and took the bread from our hands.
After watching the sunset from the wharf we went to my Aunty and Uncles for a BBQ dinner and to meet Mum and Dad who are bringing the car and caravan home for us.
Thursday we did some more sightseeing around Darwin with Mum and Dad. We spent a few (free) hours in Darwin’s brilliant (airconditioned) Museum with its Cyclone Tracy Exhibit and another hour or so in the wave pool on the waterfront after having lunch at Stokes Hill Wharf. The museum is a must see in my opinion, it is every bit as good as ours here in Melbourne, just on a smaller scale.
We didn’t save much energy for our evening, however which we planned long ago to spend at the Mindil Beach Markets, something we have been looking forward to for some time when we realised that we would be in Darwin for the first Market of the season. What we were not prepared for was the seething mass of humanity that we came apon. We found a car park not far from the market but the sheer volume of people was truly amazing, even by Melbourne Show or Footy Finals in Melbourne standard. We did make a few special purchases and found dinner. Justin had lots of turns at the whip cracking and it would appear that he has quite the knack for it.
We decided to escape the madding crowd and not wait around for the fireworks. Maccas and 50c cones were a really good idea and then we found a vantage point not far from the market to see the fireworks, which did not disappoint.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Day 31 Batchelor to Darwin
Today we put the van down and the up again in Darwin for the last time on this trip (weather and other disasters permitting). We have gotten into such a routine with this that we almost do it without thinking. There are some jobs that the kids automatically do on their own that are easier for them to do than us. They also got to put it up on their own once!
50km up the road, and Darwin was almost upon us. Instead we headed 30km along the Arnhem Hwy to the Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Tour that had been recommended to us. I have to say that these places were not well advertised out on the highway and we almost gave up after we went past the Fogg Dam. Another 2km on a gravel road and we were wondering where on earth we were going but we eventually arrived on the banks of the Adelaide River and got on the 11am tour.
Crocs we wanted and crocs we got. As well as the droll/smarty pants guide and his ever reliable female sidekick, who I might add did all the work attracting the crocs while he did all the talking and driving. The best part was when the kites (big meat eating birds) cam down to swoop in and catch small bits of meat that the sidekick threw in the air to them. All in all it was quite fun and worth the admission price. On the way in to Darwin we were discussing which other “croc” things we might see. It was croc this and croc that. Keith cleverly suggested that all of these attractions may be a croc of s***!
The obligatory swim and chat in the pool with other travellers was had and then lured by the promise of a cheap but quality buffet dinner and the Sky City Casino, we gussied ourselves up and headed on into town. The sunset from the restaurant was spectacular and we managed to not make piggies of ourselves at the buffet. The kids even showed restraint at the help yourself to fizzy drinks station.
After dinner we had a drive around Darwin and located some places we want to look at. It was also good to orient ourselves and make sure we can find our way later. Darwin seems to be a small laid back city with pockets of nightlife. It is not a very big place and we headed back to the van with full bellies and tired heads after another big day.
50km up the road, and Darwin was almost upon us. Instead we headed 30km along the Arnhem Hwy to the Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Tour that had been recommended to us. I have to say that these places were not well advertised out on the highway and we almost gave up after we went past the Fogg Dam. Another 2km on a gravel road and we were wondering where on earth we were going but we eventually arrived on the banks of the Adelaide River and got on the 11am tour.
Crocs we wanted and crocs we got. As well as the droll/smarty pants guide and his ever reliable female sidekick, who I might add did all the work attracting the crocs while he did all the talking and driving. The best part was when the kites (big meat eating birds) cam down to swoop in and catch small bits of meat that the sidekick threw in the air to them. All in all it was quite fun and worth the admission price. On the way in to Darwin we were discussing which other “croc” things we might see. It was croc this and croc that. Keith cleverly suggested that all of these attractions may be a croc of s***!
The obligatory swim and chat in the pool with other travellers was had and then lured by the promise of a cheap but quality buffet dinner and the Sky City Casino, we gussied ourselves up and headed on into town. The sunset from the restaurant was spectacular and we managed to not make piggies of ourselves at the buffet. The kids even showed restraint at the help yourself to fizzy drinks station.
After dinner we had a drive around Darwin and located some places we want to look at. It was also good to orient ourselves and make sure we can find our way later. Darwin seems to be a small laid back city with pockets of nightlife. It is not a very big place and we headed back to the van with full bellies and tired heads after another big day.
Day 30 Batchelor/Litchfield NP
Today we visited Litchfield National Park. We had been promised much and were not sure it would deliver judging by what we were seeing from the car. First we went to Wangi Falls and even though they were closed to swimmers, we still got to walk around and over the top of the falls. It did not look far, but it was quite a strenuous walk and I kept being surprised by the Golden Orb Spiders that inhabited the cooler parts of the track and steps. Wangi is the “sacrificial” waterhole at Litchfield, the one that has been all done up with steps and hand rails to make it easy to get into the water. This being closed, we should have expected the others to be busy as it was also a public holiday. The Lichfield Café was very quiet save for a few tourists from buses and they were very quiet, this was in stark contrast to the yobbos that followed and passed us as we struggled to get close to Florence Falls. I can only imagine how beautiful this place must be when it is quiet as it resembled Aquarena (our local swimming pool) on a 37 degree summer day in school holidays. Buley Rockhole was a little quieter and more spread out and we were delighted by the water monitor (big lizard) that sat on his elevated rock above the water hole and observed the space that was most obviously his.
The kids had a round of mini golf whilst Keith and I tried to cool down in the shade of the van. Dinner at the local pub and a game of cards back at the van was a very relaxing way to end the day.
The kids had a round of mini golf whilst Keith and I tried to cool down in the shade of the van. Dinner at the local pub and a game of cards back at the van was a very relaxing way to end the day.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Day 29 Katherine to Batchelor
It’s a MIRACLE The barramundi was sensational and Shannon, after some persuasion tried it and LIKED IT! Only parents of fussy eaters will appreciate our excitement, sorry. Now to find a quality source of barra in Melbourne….
Yesterday afternoon we went for a drive around Katherine and paid a visit to some good friends of Bill’s, Doug and Yvonne. They have a wonderful house with a veranda that is almost as wide as our house and two Staffordshire Bull Terriers called Digger and Sally. So cool and comfortable. The kids were able to see their cows and feed the leaves of the banana plants to them. They ran back and forth for the best part of an hour doing that while Keith, Doug and Bill inspected Doug’s impressive sheds and car collection. Presently the sprinklers went on to the grass and the garden and our poor water derived children decided first to run through and not get wet and then to run through and get wet on purpose.
Dear Readers, Keith and I have taken our children through some of the most impressive, heritage listed sites in Australia, to beautiful waterholes and fun swimming pools. It is with some chagrin that I inform you that the place they want to come back to is Doug and Yvonne’s place in Katherine to run through the sprinklers and feed the cows and play with the dogs. Not bad eh?
The drive to Batchelor on the outskirts of Litchfield National Park today was mercifully short after spending a relaxing morning at Bill’s house. We were served café style omelettes and took Sam the dog for a walk. We met some more of Bill’s friends, these ones pulled up in a beautifully restored A Model Ford. This has been the most delightful and surprising visit!
Oh yes. We got our rain mojo back! As soon as the van was set up, the kids went for a swim and watched the bird feeding here at the park, the skies opened up and we were treated to some more wind and rain, this time, Batchelor style.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Day 27/28 Kununurra to Katherine
On our previous trip to Katherine I mentioned that we were fortunate enough to meet and have dinner with Bill, a contact we made through the car club. Now we are back in Katherine and he has further extended his generous hospitality and friendship and we are staying with him for the next 2 nights. It was lovely (if unfamiliar) to stay in a house and sleep in a proper bed for a change. The aircon and the well stocked kitchen are a wonderful bonus. The kids are ploughing their way through Bill’s DVD collection. Anyone would think they haven’t seen a telly for a month! (oh, yes, that’s right, they haven’t…)
A brief note on the (uneventful) trip from Kununurra to Katherine. We stopped at Timber Creek, hoping to get some lunch but left with souvenirs instead as they were more edible than the food on offer there. Lisa-Jane has scored here (unintentionally) and I even bought a postcard to authenticate the purchase. Victoria River roadhouse some 90km down the road was in contrast a peaceful, clean place to stop with reasonably priced and freshly cooked food.
This morning (Saturday) we have been on a four hour cruise on the Katherine River through the first 3 gorges. The scenery is spectacular and we found the cruise to be a lovely relaxing way to experience this National Park. Because we were with a small group, we got the opportunity t swim in 2 different but equally beautiful swimming holes.
We are looking forward for a quiet tour of Katherine this afternoon and Barramundi for dinner. Mmmm cant wait!
Day 26 El Questro Station
They are all big days in this part of the world. Today’s visits were to Emma Gorge and Zebedee Springs on the El Questro Station. The Gibb River Rd was busy being made into a highway (or so it looked like) and we made out way very slowly along all the detour roads.
Zebedee Springs, is a series of warm rock pools just down the main driveway. A short walk and we were floating in our own private rock pool of clear warm water in the shade of ancient Livingstonia Palms. Ahh, it’s a tough life, but someone has to do it.
Emma Gorge Resort is a little piece of heaven on the eastern most edge of El Questro Station. This is for 2 reasons. We walked for an hour up a rocky sunlit riverbed to a rockpool that is Emma Gorge. Actually, we made it initially to the turquoise pool and the kids were about to jump in until we realised that there were more blue markers to follow and people further up the trail. The extra slog over the last 100 metres was certainly worth it as we arrived at a magical waterfall and a huge pool that we had almost to ourselves. Emma Gorge is as cold as Zebedee is warm but we seriously needed the cool down and cool down we did, swimming under the rock ledges and waterfall. This is the place that has officially become my “bees knees” of places to visit and swim.
On our return we were lucky enough to be the only guests at the resort and had the restaurant to ourselves and we enjoyed a very fresh and well prepared lunch (not bad value either for such a remote place). They even let us swim in the pool after our walk!
There are many wonderful places in the Kimberley that we have seen and visited and also many that we simply haven’t had time for. Rest assured we will be back at some stage!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Day 25 Kununurra
Big Day Today. We got up at 5am in order to be on our flight over the Bungle Bungles and Lake Argyle at 6am. Having not flown in a small plane for may years, I was reminded how much I love flying and getting to sit up front with the pilot was a bonus. Justin was sooo jealous, but he would not have been able to see over the dash.
I won’t go on about the flight too much as it has to be experienced to be appreciated but awe inspiring and eye opening is how I would describe it. Flying certainly gives you a perspective of the vast changing beauty of this part of the country.
Our evening was spent on what is affectionally known as the BBQ boat. We were picked up by Scott on the old Perth transit bus and windows and doors open we blasted off to pick up more passengers and take us to the boat. The diversion dam that gravity feeds Kununurra’s vast network of irrigation channels is a place to view wildlife including bats, freshwater crocodiles, sea eagles and birds that can walk on water. I don’t think that their real name is Jesus Birds, but that seems as good a name as any to call them. Paul cooked us a wonderful BBQ dinner as we watched the sun go down. The spotlight came out and the kids were able to see the many crocs hiding on the side of the lake.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Day 23/24 Larrawa to Kununurra
We got going early from Larrawa Station, almost wishing we could stay another night. Kununurra awaits though and we stopped in Halls Creek to top up with provisions and found this place to be very well serviced with 2 small supermarkets and butcher and a bakery. Not to mention the huge aquatic centre that is being built across the road.
We ate our lunch in the shade at Doon Doon Station and made it to Kununurra mid afternoon. It is nice to be back at Ivanhoe Caravan Park and it lovely amenities and pool. Next day we visited the Zebra Rock Museum and shop and tried to make sense of how this beautiful stone was made millions of years ago. The highlight of this visit was nothing to so with stone however. The shop keeps a supply of bread so that visitors can feed the fish in the lake. Well, it was if these catfish had never seen food before and the turtles got in on the act too! Big and small, they all clambered over each other for a bit of the meagre supply of bread that we had with us. A couple of these (very ugly in my opinion) critters was over 1 metre in length. We also go sprayed and squirted by something in the water. We found out later that these are Archer Fish that were spitting at us.
Seeing as we were on the western side of the diversion bridge dam, we decided to take a drive out to Wyndham. 100km seems like a drive up the road when you have been doing 600km days and we stopped off at a spot called the Grotto on the way. 140 steps down into an “idyllic sheltered waterhole” seem ok, but to try it on a blisteringly hot day, unprepared to swim and in thongs well, not such a good idea. That and the fact that I wanted to rename it the “Grotty”. We left, mildly disappointed.
Wyndham itself is a surprisingly large town, a mix of old, new and indigenous squalor all mixed in together. Abandoned houses and shops alongside time tested business and a new café made for quite a good afternoon. The five rivers lookout was totally awesome and made even better by the approach of a long time local gentleman who was the best tour guide we could have hoped for. He showed and named all the rivers that we could see from the lookout and even gave us a brief history of the area. We spent a good 30 minutes up there discussing the area and asking questions of him. As a contrast, we found a new modern café, called the 5 Rivers Café and had lunch there in the cool comfort of their dining area. For some inexplicable reason, diesel is about 30 cents cheaper per litre in Wyndham than Kununurra, so we felt that we had a win all round!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Day 22 Broome to Larrawa Station
Packing up this morning was thankfully dry and therefore a much easier proposition. We said farewell to our new friends and headed into town not for fuel or food but our latest travelling addiction. Talking books!! We found very early on that music would not hold our interest or there was nothing that we all liked to listen to so thanks to the friends that also gave the inspiration to do this blog (amongst other things) also lent us a couple of the talking books that they had listened to on their travels. We are now on to our 5th book. We thought that Matthew Reilly’s Scarecrow novels might be too colourful for the kids but they absolutely loved it and have been asking for more. Arthur Upfield’s Bachelors of broken Hill and the Clue of the New Shoe also held us entranced for many a boring hour on the road. IT is amazing how much of the stories the kids have taken in and we talk about the characters long after the book has finished.
Tonight we took a chance on a recommendation by the lovely Mark at the Halls Creek information service. We are staying on a working cattle farm about halfway between Broome and Kununurra. We are about 140km from Fitzroy Crossing and 130km from Halls Creek. Really in the middle of nowhere. For $15 a night you get a water tap, basic, clean amenities and no one except the station staff within miles. Sunset was truly awesome and we are relying on battery power until the sun comes up! The people here are very friendly and willing to show you the farm. We said hello to the pig and the cows and put the chooks in for the night. Daisy the dog was very timid at first, but took to Shannon almost immediately. We met a couple of the young visiting station hands and like Kings Creek Station, the stars here are stunning.
The kids are watching a movie until the battery on the laptop runs out (nothing like “roughing it eh?) and at 7:50pm we are thinking of going to bed as there is nothing else to do. The donkey over the way just let us know he is there and I hope he is satisfied with that.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Day 21 Broome
Today we were due to drive ourselves to Willie Creek Pearl Farm. The self drive aspect of this tour requires you to have a 4WD vehicle. This immediately made me nervous. Great, more Palm Valley stuff. Mud? Ruts? Sand? At least it hasn’t rained for a couple of days. The friends that we had been talking to said the road had quite a few puddles and muddy patches that had to be take carefully but that we should be just fine. The skies looked ok when I woke up just before 6am but at 6:15 we were closing the windows and even winding in the awning as a precaution as the sky literally opened up and dumped a huge amount of rain on us over the next 90 minutes. We sat and ate breakfast and stared out of the now fogged up windows in awe of the spectacle being unleashed before us. The road was a river and we assumed that our tour would be cancelled. Either was there was NO WAY that I was going up a dirt road after all that rain.
We rang the company and were informed that there had not been any rain out at Willie Creek that morning (we are only talking 15 or so km north) and the road was fine. Yeah right, I thought but after asking the girl on the other end of the phone for reassurances no less than 3 times, I figured I should leave her alone and we should at least give it a go. The original storm cloud loomed over Broome as we skirted our way to the pearl farm and a few errant drops fell (surely they would prevent our retreat, I thought) but the road was actually dusty!
The Pearl Farm was great. Very professional but still entertaining and informative for us and the kids. Beautiful setting. Shannon got the opportunity of opening a Keshi oyster shell and actually removing the pearl from it. Wow, how many people actually get to do that? We were given the opportunity to purchase it at a discounted price and we did. We went out on a boat to see the oyster lines and into the mangroves and watched the swirling tide rush in at 26km per hour!
We returned without mishap and spent a leisurely afternoon around the van and the pool and went to Cable Beach before sunset for a swim and to watch the sunset. The water was a balmy 32 degrees and we had to chase the water as the tide went out!!
Due to pack up the next morning we had a quiet night sitting around having a cuppa with some more Victorian travellers we had met and spent some time with since Fitzroy crossing. It was their son’s birthday and I had some candles and bikkies so instead of the traditional lamington stack birthday cake we had biscuit stack birthday cake. When camping you have to improvise folks!
Much as I am loathe to appear to be making commercial endorsements, I will go out on a limb and recommend to anyone who is going to Broome to camp, to stay at the Cable Beach Caravan Park while you are there. It is clean and tidy, very well maintained and the pool is great. You will need to book well ahead in peak season I imagine.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Day 19 and 20 Broome
We didn’t get much done this morning (after last night’s late arrival) as we had to find more medical attention, this time Justin’s turn. Why can’t pharmacies sell bloody Bactroban over the counter? The doc we saw told me “this is standard outback first aid kit stuff!” Well he took my $80 and poor Justin’s face is healing nicely. Strange that you get “school sores” when you are not in school!
Broome is fantastic. So many friendly people, great caravan park (except the pool closes at 7, just when you want a swim after tea) and the scenery wonderful. The shops are plentiful and open late. The old Chinatown part of Broome is relaxing and interesting to poke around in. We have found some more travelling companions and have done some things together. Tonight (Friday) we went to see the movie “Bran Nue Dae” at the old outdoor theatre. Talk about nostalgia. This place is amazing and has survived since 1916. It was really cool to be seeing this movie here, because it is centered in Broome and some of the film was shot in the actual picture theatre we were sitting in!!
We had the history lesson of the Pearl Luggers today and will be visiting Willie Creek Pearl Farm tomorrow. It is good to have some down time and for the kids to have some friends to play with. Rehydration is becoming a challenge and the fan is our friend. The sweat taps in my forehead run rivers at the slightest exertion and keeping up with clean dry clothing is, well, almost impossible. Some locals say that this is normal, others say that it is very humid for this time of year. When you yawn it is like breathing in a glass of water!
Thanks for the messages and the feedback that you have been sending us by the way. It is nice to know that you are reading and enjoying the blog. I am certainly enjoying writing it. I will try to attach more photos soon.
Broome is fantastic. So many friendly people, great caravan park (except the pool closes at 7, just when you want a swim after tea) and the scenery wonderful. The shops are plentiful and open late. The old Chinatown part of Broome is relaxing and interesting to poke around in. We have found some more travelling companions and have done some things together. Tonight (Friday) we went to see the movie “Bran Nue Dae” at the old outdoor theatre. Talk about nostalgia. This place is amazing and has survived since 1916. It was really cool to be seeing this movie here, because it is centered in Broome and some of the film was shot in the actual picture theatre we were sitting in!!
We had the history lesson of the Pearl Luggers today and will be visiting Willie Creek Pearl Farm tomorrow. It is good to have some down time and for the kids to have some friends to play with. Rehydration is becoming a challenge and the fan is our friend. The sweat taps in my forehead run rivers at the slightest exertion and keeping up with clean dry clothing is, well, almost impossible. Some locals say that this is normal, others say that it is very humid for this time of year. When you yawn it is like breathing in a glass of water!
Thanks for the messages and the feedback that you have been sending us by the way. It is nice to know that you are reading and enjoying the blog. I am certainly enjoying writing it. I will try to attach more photos soon.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Day 18 Fitzroy Crossing to Broome
Right. Where do I start with today? At the beginning I suppose. About 5am to be precise.
We had decided to get up early and not pack up the van to go and do a tour at Geike Gorge which is just out of Fitzroy Crossing. We were up in plenty of time and could have easily packed up by this time but we took things easy and got out to the Gorge early. The guide was surly and grumpy and we wondered what on earth we had signed up for. He kept taking peoples money and making more and more inappropriate comments and we trooped down to the boar on the river with more than a little apprehension. Well, as soon as he was on the boat and we were off it was like he had found his charm switch and he was off and running, hardly taking a breath in his wonderful presentation of “his place” which was truly amazing.
So, back to the van, pack up and hitch and off we go for an easy drive into Broome, right? Only 396ks man. Nope, Wrong. We decided that the Lennard River Rd looked pretty good, not too far. So we diverted.
Had we driven straight through and not spent an hour at Tunnel Creek (wow!!) and Windjana Gorge (beautiful) we may have gotten to Broome before 7pm and not have had to set up in the dark. Just before 5pm we exited the western end of the Gibb River Rd (totally boring) and with sinking hearts we realised that we still had to drive 214km to Broome. Tense couple of hours I can tell you was we watched the cloud blotted sun sink lower and lower over the western horizon we were facing. To make things even more exciting we were entertained by a massive electrical storm (2 actually) that seemed to be right where we were going. So even if we could find the caravan park and get into it after hours we were faced with the possibility of setting up in the dark (definite) and the rain (definite possibility).
To cut a very long day short, we found the place, the manager was funny and helpful and took pity on us, it had stopped raining but we couldn’t do anything about the dark except turn a few lights on. And that we did. Magnificent dinner later, a bit of a movie and the blog updated. 10:30pm and I am ready for bed, just a little fatigued but awed and grateful for the magnificent things we have seen today, the safe driving by Keith and the smiling face of the caravan park manager as he opened the office door for me. Praise be, indeed.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Day 17 Kununurra to Fitzroy Crossing
EVERYWHERE we go it RAINS! We are starting to take all of this (very unseasonal) precipitation personally. Humid sticky and in a constant state of sweat are we. This morning we waited in the early light to see if it would stop raining and decided that we would stay if it didn’t stop raining. Being so early, we had plenty of time to decide. It did stop of course, so we got going and headed out to a very long day of driving. We didn’t stop until we got to Halls Creek.
Let me tell you a little about the roads out here. For the most part they are fine, wide bitumen highways. But even a bitumen road feels like a tightrope when you are passing a 54mt road train. At least the gravel roads are wide enough to pull over. Some sections of the road seem so narrow that these monsters are going to suck you into their wake, turn you around and take you with them. This is coming from us who are in a car and van that combined weighs about 3 tonnes. Scary stuff.
Oh yes and a note about Halls Creek. This township is described as the “ugly duckling” of the Kimberley or the Gaza of WA and no, it is not a pretty place. We discovered the information centre which was an oasis of air conditioning and droll assistance from the very informed people there. We connected to the internet using our phone and laptop using their computer desk (their computer was out of order) and Justin was able to talk to his class on Skype. It was a heady moment to think that we were sitting in such comfort in such a remote community so far from home and we were there in class with Mr Baldwin and 4B.
We got into Fitzroy crossing quite late in the afternoon and decided not to go to the supermarket as it closed at 5pm. We would never have found it anyway. We did find out about some tours and decided to go and see Geike Gorge in the morning. We also chatted to the neighbours who had talked to a group who had come to the Kimberly via the Tanamai Road. Their tale sounded like a wallow in mud and chew through the diesel-fest. Not for us I am afraid and we feel better about our decision not to take that route.
Let me tell you a little about the roads out here. For the most part they are fine, wide bitumen highways. But even a bitumen road feels like a tightrope when you are passing a 54mt road train. At least the gravel roads are wide enough to pull over. Some sections of the road seem so narrow that these monsters are going to suck you into their wake, turn you around and take you with them. This is coming from us who are in a car and van that combined weighs about 3 tonnes. Scary stuff.
Oh yes and a note about Halls Creek. This township is described as the “ugly duckling” of the Kimberley or the Gaza of WA and no, it is not a pretty place. We discovered the information centre which was an oasis of air conditioning and droll assistance from the very informed people there. We connected to the internet using our phone and laptop using their computer desk (their computer was out of order) and Justin was able to talk to his class on Skype. It was a heady moment to think that we were sitting in such comfort in such a remote community so far from home and we were there in class with Mr Baldwin and 4B.
We got into Fitzroy crossing quite late in the afternoon and decided not to go to the supermarket as it closed at 5pm. We would never have found it anyway. We did find out about some tours and decided to go and see Geike Gorge in the morning. We also chatted to the neighbours who had talked to a group who had come to the Kimberly via the Tanamai Road. Their tale sounded like a wallow in mud and chew through the diesel-fest. Not for us I am afraid and we feel better about our decision not to take that route.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Day 16 Katherine to Kununurra
Having been lulled into a false sense of comfort by Bills dinner last night we were a bit tardy getting out today. The running repairs on the van (oh yes folks, our sort has its issues too) took a while, but Keith was clever and triumphant that he worked out what was causing the fuses to blow in the 12 volt pump. Turns out that the fridge fan had not been installed correctly and a wire had come loose. All this was discovered by opening 2 small hatches and fiddling about behind the fridge. Lesser men (and women) would have given up and gone to an auto electrician, but not Keith, he persisted and the problem is temporarily fixed.
The drive today was different because we were driving away from our final destination, Darwin. The landscape changes constantly and we called in at some stops in the Gregory National Park. It was too hot to do much walking and we needed to keep going.
Kununurra is an oasis to us now. The caravan park is lush and tropical and
We have frogs in the ensuite bathroom. Great value too. We will be heading back to Kununurra on our return to Darwin.
The drive today was different because we were driving away from our final destination, Darwin. The landscape changes constantly and we called in at some stops in the Gregory National Park. It was too hot to do much walking and we needed to keep going.
Kununurra is an oasis to us now. The caravan park is lush and tropical and
We have frogs in the ensuite bathroom. Great value too. We will be heading back to Kununurra on our return to Darwin.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Day 15 Katherine
Having decided to stay here the second night it was Justin’s turn to need a doc, but this time it is not happening. We are treating the sore on his face with what we have got, but I am wishing for the convenience of Alice Springs at present. I cannot see the logic in waiting 2 hours for a 60 second consult and a script. Hopefully we will be able to get somewhere tomorrow.
We did make it out to Katherine Gorge today and walked to the lookout in the hot hot sun. A full bucket of sweat later and the cool green waters of the gorge opened up below us. Pity we couldn’t swim in it. Apparently there are crocs that get in during the wet season and they cant be relocated until the dry. No matter, we managed to see some promising first quarter action from the Hawks - Bulldogs game on the telly in the café (the result was not in the Hawks favour unfortunately) and we also went back past the Hot Springs which were every bit as good as Mataranka’s because there were less tourists and it was cooler. The kids also got to swing into the water on a rope rigged up by the local kids.
Dinner tonight was supplied by the very generous and hospitable Bill Harding, who as a remote member of the car club invited us by email to visit him at his home. Sunday roast with all the trimmings and a spectacular shed with many different cars and we felt like we were in heaven. We even realised we knew some people in common! Oh and the air conditioner, couch and DVD player also helped lull us into a state of bliss.
I would like to take this time to say, rather sentimentally in fact that at almost the half way point of our trip we have certainly seen some amazing sights and appreciate the vastness of this land more keenly than before. What has affected us just as much are the people we have met along the way. Travelling companions becoming great friends, friendly service and advice, chance meetings and interesting discussions over dinner and generous time and assistance when we have needed it have made our travels all the more special and enjoyable.
We did make it out to Katherine Gorge today and walked to the lookout in the hot hot sun. A full bucket of sweat later and the cool green waters of the gorge opened up below us. Pity we couldn’t swim in it. Apparently there are crocs that get in during the wet season and they cant be relocated until the dry. No matter, we managed to see some promising first quarter action from the Hawks - Bulldogs game on the telly in the café (the result was not in the Hawks favour unfortunately) and we also went back past the Hot Springs which were every bit as good as Mataranka’s because there were less tourists and it was cooler. The kids also got to swing into the water on a rope rigged up by the local kids.
Dinner tonight was supplied by the very generous and hospitable Bill Harding, who as a remote member of the car club invited us by email to visit him at his home. Sunday roast with all the trimmings and a spectacular shed with many different cars and we felt like we were in heaven. We even realised we knew some people in common! Oh and the air conditioner, couch and DVD player also helped lull us into a state of bliss.
I would like to take this time to say, rather sentimentally in fact that at almost the half way point of our trip we have certainly seen some amazing sights and appreciate the vastness of this land more keenly than before. What has affected us just as much are the people we have met along the way. Travelling companions becoming great friends, friendly service and advice, chance meetings and interesting discussions over dinner and generous time and assistance when we have needed it have made our travels all the more special and enjoyable.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Day 14 Tennant Creek to Katherine
We had only intended to get to Mataranka tonight but decided after our swim in the hot springs there that we would push on to Katherine. On our way we stopped at Renner Springs (homemade sausage rolls, pies and bread) and the Daly Waters Pub for lunch. This place is a hoot. Tourists from all over the world have visited here and left mementos of their stay. Some have left thongs and hats, others currency from their country. Some bolder ones have left knickers and bras, which the kids declared was “totally wrong”. It is a little funky oasis in the middle of nowhere.
Katherine was to be our oasis but on arrival we had a little difficulty selecting our site and once we were located spent a lot of time dancing around trying to avoid the 3 different types of bitey ants we had located on the ground. Swim and shower later we went in search of dinner and decided that Katherine’s pizza was decidedly not dodgy and we even go to sit and eat it in the lovely cool clean pub next door. The kids were into a colouring competition and the lovely girl working there Roxy, could not have done enough for us or made us more comfortable or welcome. Thus feeling much better, we headed back to the van for a very hot and humid nights sleep.
Katherine was to be our oasis but on arrival we had a little difficulty selecting our site and once we were located spent a lot of time dancing around trying to avoid the 3 different types of bitey ants we had located on the ground. Swim and shower later we went in search of dinner and decided that Katherine’s pizza was decidedly not dodgy and we even go to sit and eat it in the lovely cool clean pub next door. The kids were into a colouring competition and the lovely girl working there Roxy, could not have done enough for us or made us more comfortable or welcome. Thus feeling much better, we headed back to the van for a very hot and humid nights sleep.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Day 13 Alice Springs to Tennant Creek
Either it was a new production or Act IV was really meant to be suspenseful but either way Good Old Alice really let us have it last night. 40mm of rain fell (mostly on us we think) and I was grateful for having done a lot of packing up in anticipation of our departure. We stayed in bed and waited for the rain to stop and when we got impatient we hopped onto the BOM website and watched the storm procrastinate its way across our location. FINALLY it did stop and the dreaded wet and grubby pack up began.
Our exit from the park was made all the more exciting by the fact that the Todd River had started flowing once more and the causeway was closed. No matter, the bridge a ways down the road got us on our way. There is not much to see on this stretch of the Stuart Hwy but we did call in at Barrow Creek (the very closed Telegraph station building) and at the Devils Marbles. These ancient weathered stones do look like they were placed on top of each other by an alien race, but they are actually evidence of the age of our land and the massive power of erosion. The other startling thing here was MORE RAIN. We got soaked on the short 350m walk around the outcrops near the highway. We are beginning to think that its us that’s brought the rain.
We eventually got to Tennant Creek and set up. Kids to the pool, us to the bar where we spent a very pleasant hour chatting to other travellers. The local pizza place looked totally dodgy, so we went to the RSL, where everyone else within a 100k radius was too. We met a lady from Darwin who was working in remote indigenous communities and had a great time chatting to her over dinner.
Our exit from the park was made all the more exciting by the fact that the Todd River had started flowing once more and the causeway was closed. No matter, the bridge a ways down the road got us on our way. There is not much to see on this stretch of the Stuart Hwy but we did call in at Barrow Creek (the very closed Telegraph station building) and at the Devils Marbles. These ancient weathered stones do look like they were placed on top of each other by an alien race, but they are actually evidence of the age of our land and the massive power of erosion. The other startling thing here was MORE RAIN. We got soaked on the short 350m walk around the outcrops near the highway. We are beginning to think that its us that’s brought the rain.
We eventually got to Tennant Creek and set up. Kids to the pool, us to the bar where we spent a very pleasant hour chatting to other travellers. The local pizza place looked totally dodgy, so we went to the RSL, where everyone else within a 100k radius was too. We met a lady from Darwin who was working in remote indigenous communities and had a great time chatting to her over dinner.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Day 12 Alice Springs
Lucky we had planned a quiet day today as poor Shannon has woken up with an eye infection that needs medical attention. A quick (and free) trip to the Dr later we were sorted and we headed off to the Desert Park as we had planned. I have to say that I would recommend a visit to this place. The staff were very friendly and helpful and we walked around for a couple of hours, guided by audio sets and headphones. The nocturnal centre was fantastic and the kids were read a funny story by one of the rangers about a stick insect named Stan. Keith and I don’t think that we have ever seen a real live bilby before, so it was quite a treat for us too.
With rainclouds threatening and the rumble of thunder in the air we decided to have an afternoon hanging around the caravan park which the kids have enjoyed immensely. They have consolidated friendships, swum in the pool and ridden the special side by side double bikes around the park for an hour. Ten bucks of the best peace and quiet your money can buy! Doing a bit of a tidy up now. Tomorrow we are off to Tennant Creek and then to Mataranka. After that, who knows? We will keep you posted.
With rainclouds threatening and the rumble of thunder in the air we decided to have an afternoon hanging around the caravan park which the kids have enjoyed immensely. They have consolidated friendships, swum in the pool and ridden the special side by side double bikes around the park for an hour. Ten bucks of the best peace and quiet your money can buy! Doing a bit of a tidy up now. Tomorrow we are off to Tennant Creek and then to Mataranka. After that, who knows? We will keep you posted.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Day 11 Alice Springs Area
Note/Disclaimer : As author of this blog dear reader you are only exposed to what could be described as “my side of the story”. In writing I have tried to include what we have been doing and seeing as a family but it really is from me, Cath. For any other versions of today’s story, you will have to ask Keith and the kids yourself. No further discussion shall be entered into save for the following.
Plans have been discussed and made for a long time for this trip and the one really contentious decision we knew we would have to make when we got to Alice Springs is - “do we go up the Tanamai Road or not?” In seeking reassurance that all would be well or not to do this, we got chatting to a gentleman in the information office who had been out to Palm Valley on a road that had just reopened after a considerable amount of rain. He assured us that in our car we would make it just fine. To cut a long story short, the car was mostly fine, the kids were fine, Keith was fine and I was not. The gravel and fun little river crossings soon gave way to seemingly treacherous sand and diabolical rock crawls before we almost buried ourselves in what seemed like quicksand. My extremely competent husband very patiently parked the car safely while I tried to enjoy where we had gotten to which was only 1.6k from the end of the road. We didn’t make it to Palm Valley today, but we did get ourselves to Cycad Gorge which was (in hindsight) very beautiful. We pulled out and managed to get back to the highway very easily, even stopping to enjoy the river crossings and the thunderstorm that was approaching. Here comes Act III? Nah, we managed to drive around it on the gravel. Strange how the Ernest Giles Rd with its sandy river crossing that had bothered me so much 2 days ago and today’s gravel driving seemed like a piece of cake after Palm Valley.
The other highlights of today were visiting Hermannsberg Mission, going to the lookout over Gosses Bluff, swimming in the Glen Helen Gorge (something I have been wanting to do since 1986). Discovering the Ochre pits and finally getting that swim at Ellery Big Hole before the sun went down was a challenge but we managed it. We were very conscious of the decision that we had made before we left Melbourne to not do any outback driving in the dusk or dark, but in breaking that rule (very soundly I might add) we witnessed the West MacDonnell Ranges in all their sunset drenched glory. The storm that was still active in front of us to the east made the drive even more majestic.
We have decided to stay on an extra night here to relax and to spend some more time planning the next phase of the journey as it appears that we are likely to be going to go up the Stuart Hwy and give the Tanamai a miss. We have heard that the road needs repair and there are a couple of interesting things we will be able to see on the highway as opposed to nothing much on the Tanamai. Wuss you say? You betcha.
Plans have been discussed and made for a long time for this trip and the one really contentious decision we knew we would have to make when we got to Alice Springs is - “do we go up the Tanamai Road or not?” In seeking reassurance that all would be well or not to do this, we got chatting to a gentleman in the information office who had been out to Palm Valley on a road that had just reopened after a considerable amount of rain. He assured us that in our car we would make it just fine. To cut a long story short, the car was mostly fine, the kids were fine, Keith was fine and I was not. The gravel and fun little river crossings soon gave way to seemingly treacherous sand and diabolical rock crawls before we almost buried ourselves in what seemed like quicksand. My extremely competent husband very patiently parked the car safely while I tried to enjoy where we had gotten to which was only 1.6k from the end of the road. We didn’t make it to Palm Valley today, but we did get ourselves to Cycad Gorge which was (in hindsight) very beautiful. We pulled out and managed to get back to the highway very easily, even stopping to enjoy the river crossings and the thunderstorm that was approaching. Here comes Act III? Nah, we managed to drive around it on the gravel. Strange how the Ernest Giles Rd with its sandy river crossing that had bothered me so much 2 days ago and today’s gravel driving seemed like a piece of cake after Palm Valley.
The other highlights of today were visiting Hermannsberg Mission, going to the lookout over Gosses Bluff, swimming in the Glen Helen Gorge (something I have been wanting to do since 1986). Discovering the Ochre pits and finally getting that swim at Ellery Big Hole before the sun went down was a challenge but we managed it. We were very conscious of the decision that we had made before we left Melbourne to not do any outback driving in the dusk or dark, but in breaking that rule (very soundly I might add) we witnessed the West MacDonnell Ranges in all their sunset drenched glory. The storm that was still active in front of us to the east made the drive even more majestic.
We have decided to stay on an extra night here to relax and to spend some more time planning the next phase of the journey as it appears that we are likely to be going to go up the Stuart Hwy and give the Tanamai a miss. We have heard that the road needs repair and there are a couple of interesting things we will be able to see on the highway as opposed to nothing much on the Tanamai. Wuss you say? You betcha.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Day 10 Alice Springs
Turns out that last nights sound and light show was only Act I. During intermission we ate dinner and watched a movie and departed into blissful slumber only to be woken by Act II sometime in the small hours of the morning. Justin slept through being rained on and we managed to shut up the van quickly but then the wind started and took the awning with it. By some miracle in the dark and rain, Keith and I managed to hang on to it and get it wound in without any damage but I was left quite shaken for the experience. Sleep eluded me for the rest of the night waiting to see if there was an Act III. There was not.
We headed into Alice Springs to find the shops and have a look around. The place was teeming with humanity as many shops had been closed for Easter. We stocked up and headed back to camp. The afternoon was spent pottering around town seeing what was around before heading out to have a look at Standley Chasm and Simpsons Gap. The Gap had quite a bit of water in it from the previous nights rain and was lovely in the late afternoon sunshine. The Chasm was a longer walk and the entry fee a bit steep, but in for a penny we paid the man and walked along the very rocky creek bed to the chasm. Its cool interior fascinated the kids for about 60 seconds before they raced back down to the car.
The promised waterhole swim at Ellery Creek did not happen this afternoon as we were due to go out to dinner with our travelling companions that evening, The kids were more than satisfied with the promise of a swim in the pool and we headed back into town. Dinner at the Overland Steakhouse was fun. Kids sat up one end of the table, adults at the other. Everyone managed to behave themselves very nicely. We sampled emu, camel, kangaroo and crocodile meats. I liked the croc best, but had already ordered roo for mains. Eton Mess for dessert and we were done. Fantastic not to have to cook too!
As novice travellers it has been great to meet so many people on the way. The family we met at Pt Augusta, came across by accident at Coober Pedy, camped with at Yulara (coincidence) and Kings Creek (on purpose) and went camel riding with at Stuart Well have been wonderful to spend time with. Almost “local” knowledge and expert experience made us feel like we had our own tour guide and our kids kept each other entertained beautifully. We feel very lucky to have met such kind, generous and FUN people! They are heading home tomorrow so we said our goodbyes, exchanged details and hope to catch up in the not too distant future.
We headed into Alice Springs to find the shops and have a look around. The place was teeming with humanity as many shops had been closed for Easter. We stocked up and headed back to camp. The afternoon was spent pottering around town seeing what was around before heading out to have a look at Standley Chasm and Simpsons Gap. The Gap had quite a bit of water in it from the previous nights rain and was lovely in the late afternoon sunshine. The Chasm was a longer walk and the entry fee a bit steep, but in for a penny we paid the man and walked along the very rocky creek bed to the chasm. Its cool interior fascinated the kids for about 60 seconds before they raced back down to the car.
The promised waterhole swim at Ellery Creek did not happen this afternoon as we were due to go out to dinner with our travelling companions that evening, The kids were more than satisfied with the promise of a swim in the pool and we headed back into town. Dinner at the Overland Steakhouse was fun. Kids sat up one end of the table, adults at the other. Everyone managed to behave themselves very nicely. We sampled emu, camel, kangaroo and crocodile meats. I liked the croc best, but had already ordered roo for mains. Eton Mess for dessert and we were done. Fantastic not to have to cook too!
As novice travellers it has been great to meet so many people on the way. The family we met at Pt Augusta, came across by accident at Coober Pedy, camped with at Yulara (coincidence) and Kings Creek (on purpose) and went camel riding with at Stuart Well have been wonderful to spend time with. Almost “local” knowledge and expert experience made us feel like we had our own tour guide and our kids kept each other entertained beautifully. We feel very lucky to have met such kind, generous and FUN people! They are heading home tomorrow so we said our goodbyes, exchanged details and hope to catch up in the not too distant future.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Day 9 Kings Canyon to Alice Springs
Today was “lets try going off the bitumen day”. We thought about going along the Mereenie Loop Road but thought it might be too long. Instead we thought we would try the Ernest Giles Rd of only 99km gravel and give ourselves a “quick” run into Alice. Admittedly it was quicker but the corrugations and washouts were astounding and bone rattling. The most exciting (?) point was the sand riverbed that we crossed with our fantastic car and van and great driver, Keith. It was the first real test of the 4WD and we did it with flying colours. Still don’t know why anyone would drive along such roads on purpose though. The Corolla that had zoomed through the sand riverbed in front of us (hey if he can do it, so can we!) did come a cropper and they had a rock go through their sump and dumped all their oil on the road. They made it to the roadhouse, unfazed, as a fix for this sort of thing seems to be available in the outback.
We stopped for lunch at Stuart Well and went to the Camel Farm there, met our travelling companions and the kids had a camel ride. I was still feeling a bit sore from the canyon walk and the tumble I had taken down the van steps earlier in the morning so didn’t revisit that part of the adventure from the 1986 Doncaster High Central Australia Tour. It was a short 90km drive along a VERY smooth highway to Alice Springs and we had a brief drive through town (I didn’t know where we were going) before we found the Big 4.
For those who have taken campers/vans on very corrugated gravel roads know what can happen to the contents of them and the cleaning and fixing that needs to be done at the destination. For some people it is milk, others oil or eggs. Ours was cream and cordial. We had to clean up a cordial explosion and resultant spill from the pantry and cream from the fridge. It was a truly impressive mess that a kindergarten full of 3 year olds could not even hope to replicate. An hour and buckets of sweat and detergent later (detergent is harder to clean up than cordial btw) we were all neat and tidy before the NEXT exciting thing happened.
The sound and light show of the approaching thunderstorm was very impressive (read scary) but seemed innocuous until the rain and the wind actually hit us. We were left scratching our heads as to why we didn’t think to put the fly ends out, but then WHY WOULD YOU? Its Alice Springs in the middle of Australia where it NEVER rains. Bollocks. It does so. Dinner eventually got cooked and eaten, laptops and mobile phones broken out and connection to the rest of the world re-established. Maybe this place isn’t so bad after all.
We stopped for lunch at Stuart Well and went to the Camel Farm there, met our travelling companions and the kids had a camel ride. I was still feeling a bit sore from the canyon walk and the tumble I had taken down the van steps earlier in the morning so didn’t revisit that part of the adventure from the 1986 Doncaster High Central Australia Tour. It was a short 90km drive along a VERY smooth highway to Alice Springs and we had a brief drive through town (I didn’t know where we were going) before we found the Big 4.
For those who have taken campers/vans on very corrugated gravel roads know what can happen to the contents of them and the cleaning and fixing that needs to be done at the destination. For some people it is milk, others oil or eggs. Ours was cream and cordial. We had to clean up a cordial explosion and resultant spill from the pantry and cream from the fridge. It was a truly impressive mess that a kindergarten full of 3 year olds could not even hope to replicate. An hour and buckets of sweat and detergent later (detergent is harder to clean up than cordial btw) we were all neat and tidy before the NEXT exciting thing happened.
The sound and light show of the approaching thunderstorm was very impressive (read scary) but seemed innocuous until the rain and the wind actually hit us. We were left scratching our heads as to why we didn’t think to put the fly ends out, but then WHY WOULD YOU? Its Alice Springs in the middle of Australia where it NEVER rains. Bollocks. It does so. Dinner eventually got cooked and eaten, laptops and mobile phones broken out and connection to the rest of the world re-established. Maybe this place isn’t so bad after all.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Day 8 Kings Canyon
Big Walk day today. One of the main reasons we had decided to come to Kings Canyon was to do the “Rim Walk”. We knew it would be challenging and were happy to have our travelling companions as walking companions also. The day was hot and sunny and we got going early. Didn’t make any real difference as it was VERY hot by the time we got to the walk. The kids were champions and zoomed up to the top of the steps. I didn’t really think that at any stage I would not make it. But it certainly was challenging and I was determined to get to the Garden of Eden and have a swim at the top. It was just as I remember from 24 years ago and I think I enjoyed swimming up there even more than I had before. The kids all got in with me (I was the only adult in the party to go swimming) and we had a ball.
It was hard to get out and face the walk back, but down is always easier than up and we did eventually make it down and crumpled into sweaty exhausted heaps. Have I mentioned how much I love the AC in the Disco? (Sorry PJ and Pam, any hope of not using the aircon was abandoned soon after leaving Melbourne)
The rest of the afternoon was spent is states of semi delirium as we continued to battle the flies and rehydrate our bodies. The kids just bolted for the pool and stayed there for the rest of the afternoon. Dinner was procured and we declared at all of 9:10pm that we were “done in (totally pathetic) and headed for the sack.
It was hard to get out and face the walk back, but down is always easier than up and we did eventually make it down and crumpled into sweaty exhausted heaps. Have I mentioned how much I love the AC in the Disco? (Sorry PJ and Pam, any hope of not using the aircon was abandoned soon after leaving Melbourne)
The rest of the afternoon was spent is states of semi delirium as we continued to battle the flies and rehydrate our bodies. The kids just bolted for the pool and stayed there for the rest of the afternoon. Dinner was procured and we declared at all of 9:10pm that we were “done in (totally pathetic) and headed for the sack.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Day 7 Yulara to Kings Canyon
Well MY day started early with the arrival of a group of school kids who decided that mucking around in the amenities block would be a good thing. Oh ho ho not when there is a TEACHER within earshot, who wants to be ASLEEP. You can guess the rest!
We knew that the drive to Kings Canyon would be short so we didn’t hurry out of the Yulara Campground. Our camping companions who had the same itinerary had started out very early the previous morning needed a sleep in so they left a bit later than we did. We took our time stopping to check out Mt Connor properly and we climbed the dune across the road to take photos of the salt plain that is Lake Amadeus.
Kings Creek Station is a quick 250km from Yulara and we were there by lunchtime. We were shown to our campsite by a very jovial caretaker who apologised for not having done the gardening as he had been away for the previous 8 weeks. Goodness, we are in the outback. From all reports Kings Creek Station is regularly “gardened” and the recent rains had made keeping the place weed free a bit difficult.
Complete with pool, KCS is an oasis in the desert. Part cattle/camel station part holiday destination, we found the people working there to be fascinating and the owners present and generous with their time.
The real buzz (literally) happened when the sun went down. Exit stage left, all the flies that had been flying around your face (in your nose and ears) and enter stage right every other insect known to man. All of them. Any light that was turned on was an instant swarm that would have excited Shrek. It became almost impossible to use the laptops. So we didn’t.
Instead, we stared at the billions of stars that appeared in the skies above us. The kids reactions were priceless. When they first looked up and saw what was up there the general reaction was “phwoar!! Mum! Dad! Have you seen THAT? We had a campfire and our clever camping companion made fruit damper with 2 cans of beer in his camp oven. Better than hot cross buns any day.
We knew that the drive to Kings Canyon would be short so we didn’t hurry out of the Yulara Campground. Our camping companions who had the same itinerary had started out very early the previous morning needed a sleep in so they left a bit later than we did. We took our time stopping to check out Mt Connor properly and we climbed the dune across the road to take photos of the salt plain that is Lake Amadeus.
Kings Creek Station is a quick 250km from Yulara and we were there by lunchtime. We were shown to our campsite by a very jovial caretaker who apologised for not having done the gardening as he had been away for the previous 8 weeks. Goodness, we are in the outback. From all reports Kings Creek Station is regularly “gardened” and the recent rains had made keeping the place weed free a bit difficult.
Complete with pool, KCS is an oasis in the desert. Part cattle/camel station part holiday destination, we found the people working there to be fascinating and the owners present and generous with their time.
The real buzz (literally) happened when the sun went down. Exit stage left, all the flies that had been flying around your face (in your nose and ears) and enter stage right every other insect known to man. All of them. Any light that was turned on was an instant swarm that would have excited Shrek. It became almost impossible to use the laptops. So we didn’t.
Instead, we stared at the billions of stars that appeared in the skies above us. The kids reactions were priceless. When they first looked up and saw what was up there the general reaction was “phwoar!! Mum! Dad! Have you seen THAT? We had a campfire and our clever camping companion made fruit damper with 2 cans of beer in his camp oven. Better than hot cross buns any day.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Day 6 Yulara
Sometimes we see things so often that we fail to register that they are there or recognise them. This has happened to me in the last few days. No, I didn’t miss seeing Ayers Rock or the Olgas, I forgot to tell you all how GREEN it is out here at the moment.
We did notice (but failed to mention) that the landscape started to change subtly after we passed Marla, north of Coober Pedy. The vegetation on the side of the road almost needs mowing it is so green and lush and once on the Lasseter Hwy, headed for here it is truly remarkable. It is still red sand hills and dirt and the rock is still red and huge, but there is a definite difference in how it usually looks here. We are very lucky to be here in these conditions.
The vegetation aside, we have had another terrific day here. We headed out early to walk the Valley of the Winds to the second lookout. The majestic massifs of this place were very spiritual to visit for me, more so than the Rock. From a distance these formations look like a giant child put some mud pies together and left them to dry in the sun, but up close and to touch they are solid and impenetrable.
We shared to walk with our young neighbours from Germany. Robin and Vanessa have been delayed by mechanical issues and had no way to get to there so we took them with us. We had a great morning, the kids were full of energy and Justin was ahead of us the whole way. The breeze and shade made for great walking conditions.
We returned to camp for an afternoon of R and R which meant I did washing and shopping in between swims. It is hot, but not oppressively so and having a pool is a bonus. Having to share it with everyone else’s kids is not. For those who can hack the drive here it is a great place to come and stay with lots to do. Its all part of the adventure! We were also treated to a wildlife display when our neighbour Mal noticed a Thorny Devil Lizard crossing their campsite. He was very cute and did not mind posing for photos.
We are going to Kings Canyon tomorrow so we may be off the air for a couple of days. Please feel free to sign up and comment on the blog, we would love to hear from you. Either that, FB or text is fine.
We did notice (but failed to mention) that the landscape started to change subtly after we passed Marla, north of Coober Pedy. The vegetation on the side of the road almost needs mowing it is so green and lush and once on the Lasseter Hwy, headed for here it is truly remarkable. It is still red sand hills and dirt and the rock is still red and huge, but there is a definite difference in how it usually looks here. We are very lucky to be here in these conditions.
The vegetation aside, we have had another terrific day here. We headed out early to walk the Valley of the Winds to the second lookout. The majestic massifs of this place were very spiritual to visit for me, more so than the Rock. From a distance these formations look like a giant child put some mud pies together and left them to dry in the sun, but up close and to touch they are solid and impenetrable.
We shared to walk with our young neighbours from Germany. Robin and Vanessa have been delayed by mechanical issues and had no way to get to there so we took them with us. We had a great morning, the kids were full of energy and Justin was ahead of us the whole way. The breeze and shade made for great walking conditions.
We returned to camp for an afternoon of R and R which meant I did washing and shopping in between swims. It is hot, but not oppressively so and having a pool is a bonus. Having to share it with everyone else’s kids is not. For those who can hack the drive here it is a great place to come and stay with lots to do. Its all part of the adventure! We were also treated to a wildlife display when our neighbour Mal noticed a Thorny Devil Lizard crossing their campsite. He was very cute and did not mind posing for photos.
We are going to Kings Canyon tomorrow so we may be off the air for a couple of days. Please feel free to sign up and comment on the blog, we would love to hear from you. Either that, FB or text is fine.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Day 5 Yulara
It is very nice to finally complete an entry that doesn’t have “to” in the title. Finally a day not on the road even if the sleep in did not happen. Next door van’s baby put paid to that little wish. But it is good to be up early, even NT time. We are living in 2 time zones and have only been concerned about the time so we could work out when sunset would be so we could get out to the viewing area on time!
Time. Today we had some for a change. To sit around and eat brekky and not make lunch at the same time. Washing some clothes and going to the supermarket were a treat! The kids swam in the pool with their friends and I felt a little guilty about not dashing out to the rock along with most of the campground inhabitants at 8am.
We did eventually get around to going out to Uluru and the cultural centre. We learned some of the history and the Aboriginal culture and stories about the area. We decided to head to the Mala car park where the climb starts. We had already found out that the climb was closed due to the wind being too strong at the top, so there was no debate as to wether anyone was going to climb it. Instead we walked to the Multijulu waterhole, where water was still flowing in a trickle from the not so recent rain.
Superlatives fail to describe the massive presence of Uluru – Ayers Rock. I don’t remember it being so big in 1986 when I was here before. Keith and the kids have never been here before and seemed a bit overawed by the whole thing. It is enormous, impressive and beautiful. We dutifully attended the sunset viewing area with hundreds of other pilgrims from a hundred different countries.
The German couple across the road from us Robin and Vanessa have a van that needs parts to repair it. They have been waiting here for days. They really can’t do anything but sit and wait so we have asked them to come with us to Kata Juta – the Olgas tomorrow morning. Some of our other neighbours have become very familiar to us as we see them on the road around the Resort and the Rock. Many will apparently be moving on to Kings Canyon on Saturday too.
The rubbish has been properly binned tonight so hopefully our dingo friend will not be causing any more commotion. Now if the Rotary Exchange kids would only go to bed…
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Day 4 Coober Pedy to Yulara
The looooong drive today was the “highlight” of the day. 740km of basically what we saw the day before was a bit daunting. Sunrise over Coober Pedy in the morning was spectacular and put us in a good frame of mind for the long drive. We travelled well and whilst the last 250km after the turnoff onto the Lasseter Hwy seemed to go forever. We arrived at the resort at 5pm Victorian time only to discover that NT does not have daylight savings and they are ½ hr behind too. So we had lots of time to set up, find the supermarket (very good) and make friends with the neighbours we will be spending 3 nights with. Even though we are in the desert, in the middle of Australia, it is surprisingly civilised here and well organised. We spent a very relaxed evening laughing and chatting over a few drinks and homemade hamburgers for dinner. We trundled up to the top of a dune here in the campground and watched the sun set over the rock.
Despite the close confines here (yes we are quite close to some other campers with young children) we managed a reasonably good sleep and are looking forward to seeing some Australian Icons tomorrow.
The most exciting thing that happened as we discivered the next morning was the commotion that happened during the night. Our neighbours that we had been chatting to had left their rubbish out and a cheeky young dingo tried to get some lefovers for his supper. The dingo was duly chased off minus his food. He should choose a quieter bag with fewer cans in it! It is a timely reminder for us to be careful about what we leave out.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Day 3 Port Augusta to Coober Pedy
I didn’t realise how nice Pt Augusta was until we got to Coober Pedy. The shock and realisation that we really were heading to the outback hit home. So did the flies. I probably would have enjoyed Coober Pedy more had we had more time to look around its unique features, underground accommodation and mines. The drive there was certainly uneventful compared to the complicated drive of the day before. Basically turn right and stay on the road for 530km and you are there. What is said is true that you don’t really understand how vast this country is until you travel through it. Hats off once again to those explorers.
The Big4 in Coober Pedy certainly does not get a good rap from me personally but the games room and pool, both situated unusually in water tanks kept the kids cool and entertained for the short time we were there. We met up with the family that we met in Pt Augusta and we will be meeting up again in Yulara.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Day 2 Mildura to Port Augusta
The pack up, whilst wet was not totally miserable and we managed again to be on the road by 9am. It was still a bit rainy and once we worked out where we were going we were on our way.
The pack up came with a surprise this morning. The huge grey huntsman spider that Mum and I had already evicted at home had decided to return to the van and travel with us and made an appearance on the outside of the kids bed tent end under the fly. It gave Shannon a huge fright and sadly insisted on running towards the van. Had it run away, it may have lived, but sadly it did not and my brave husband was pressed into putting it out of our misery.
We revisited the Monash playground where Keith and I had both been as kids. We really didn’t spot it at first; we went through the back blocks of Monash until we spotted it. Really how we could have missed it is very strange. We spent a very happy half hour there and true to the code of generations of my family, I met someone I knew. They are travelling to WA but have camped across from us this evening at the Big4 at Port Augusta! They playground had been upgraded and made a lot safer than it was in 1986. Not as fun either, but the kids didn’t seem to mind. I did not enter the maze, needless to say.
After Monash, we encountered the quarantine station at Yamba and that held us up for a while as we tried to work out wether we would have to eat the sandwiches I made for lunch before we went through. Had to put the van up and lost a heap of stuff that I just grabbed from the fridge at home. Never mind, cheaper to chuck it out than get a $315 fine. I will have to get Dad to explain why they wanted the potatoes but not the sweet potatoes, the onions but not the broccoli or mushrooms. We managed to eat the fruit before we got there.
I really wasn’t sure how we were going to get to Morgan on the map I was using as it did not have enough detail. The GPS is borrowed and we don’t trust it yet. We picked our way through the Cadell Valley on the south side of the Murray River. I really don’t know if the other routes we passed were better, but we made it to Morgan on the wrong side of the river and had to use the ferry to get across. Very cool.
Through changing terrain, we finally made it to Burra for lunch at about 2pm. It was a bit late but we still had a lovely walk around this beautiful historic town. Justin added a small piece of Malachite to his collection and Shannon bout postcards. On out walk we came across a gathering of people on the creek bank and wondered what it was all about until we saw the hearse and the casket. Great spot for a Funeral. What a lovely send off.
There are so many different ways to get to Pt Augusta from Mildura and we seemed to really be taking the alternative route. We finally found the right road but seemed to be heading straight towards a seemingly impassable mountain range. How the explorers must have felt when faced with Mt Remarkable, I cannot imagine. The pass that the road took us through was windy and steep but we were only a few kilometres from Port Augusta. All of a sudden around a bend the vista opened up before us and there laid before us was the head of the Spencer Gulf and our destination, which from a distance did not look all that inviting. On closer inspection, the town seems lovely and the people I have met are very helpful and friendly. The park is spacious and clean and we have met some people who have a very similar itinerary to us.
The pack up came with a surprise this morning. The huge grey huntsman spider that Mum and I had already evicted at home had decided to return to the van and travel with us and made an appearance on the outside of the kids bed tent end under the fly. It gave Shannon a huge fright and sadly insisted on running towards the van. Had it run away, it may have lived, but sadly it did not and my brave husband was pressed into putting it out of our misery.
We revisited the Monash playground where Keith and I had both been as kids. We really didn’t spot it at first; we went through the back blocks of Monash until we spotted it. Really how we could have missed it is very strange. We spent a very happy half hour there and true to the code of generations of my family, I met someone I knew. They are travelling to WA but have camped across from us this evening at the Big4 at Port Augusta! They playground had been upgraded and made a lot safer than it was in 1986. Not as fun either, but the kids didn’t seem to mind. I did not enter the maze, needless to say.
After Monash, we encountered the quarantine station at Yamba and that held us up for a while as we tried to work out wether we would have to eat the sandwiches I made for lunch before we went through. Had to put the van up and lost a heap of stuff that I just grabbed from the fridge at home. Never mind, cheaper to chuck it out than get a $315 fine. I will have to get Dad to explain why they wanted the potatoes but not the sweet potatoes, the onions but not the broccoli or mushrooms. We managed to eat the fruit before we got there.
I really wasn’t sure how we were going to get to Morgan on the map I was using as it did not have enough detail. The GPS is borrowed and we don’t trust it yet. We picked our way through the Cadell Valley on the south side of the Murray River. I really don’t know if the other routes we passed were better, but we made it to Morgan on the wrong side of the river and had to use the ferry to get across. Very cool.
Through changing terrain, we finally made it to Burra for lunch at about 2pm. It was a bit late but we still had a lovely walk around this beautiful historic town. Justin added a small piece of Malachite to his collection and Shannon bout postcards. On out walk we came across a gathering of people on the creek bank and wondered what it was all about until we saw the hearse and the casket. Great spot for a Funeral. What a lovely send off.
There are so many different ways to get to Pt Augusta from Mildura and we seemed to really be taking the alternative route. We finally found the right road but seemed to be heading straight towards a seemingly impassable mountain range. How the explorers must have felt when faced with Mt Remarkable, I cannot imagine. The pass that the road took us through was windy and steep but we were only a few kilometres from Port Augusta. All of a sudden around a bend the vista opened up before us and there laid before us was the head of the Spencer Gulf and our destination, which from a distance did not look all that inviting. On closer inspection, the town seems lovely and the people I have met are very helpful and friendly. The park is spacious and clean and we have met some people who have a very similar itinerary to us.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Day 1 Melbourne to Mildura
By some miracle and a great deal of planning and preparation, we departed home right on 9am. We left the city quickly and were soon on the outskirts of Bendigo. Having worked out the borrowed GPS unit, we discovered that it was a bit out of date for the lovely new freeway that goes almost all the way to Bendigo.
We had lunch at Charlton. It seemed that we bought out the bakery. I felt sorry for the people after us ‘cos there wasn’t much left for the poor girl to sell. The coffee was pretty good too, Pam.
You could say that the drive from Melbourne to Mildura is totally boring, except for all this interesting stuff if you LOOK OUT THE WINDOWS KIDS!! Lots of interesting little towns that we swear we are going to back to, one day. Strangely enough the fascination that I held as a child at the railway line running up the middle of the road in Wycheproof was lost on my GenY children. Maybe my Dad was better at making things seem cool and interesting than we are? I did get a bit tired of Keith waking me up every km or so to point out all the rubbish on the side of the road.
Deakin Big 4 is certainly cool enough for the kids. It was still hot enough for a swim despite that the rain was falling lightly. Apparently we just missed the dust storm that went through town prior to the rain falling.
Keith’s mentioning our trip to members of the local car club here in Mildura meant that we got to spend an evening with quite a few people that we had not met before but were very keen to welcome us to their neck of the woods.
Got the computer up and running but issues with the internet modem. Will resolve but will be a couple of days late updating. Got the kids to start a video diary but all we have ended up with is silly entries for Funniest Home Videos – Camping and Caravanning edition.
I am not looking forward to packing up wet in the morning.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
One more sleep
I have titled this post wishfully, as I think that sleep will not come easily tonight. Very excited to be leaving tomorrow. As I write, Keith is already snoring, but thats OK, he still has to pack his clothes. Yup, thats right and enough said.
We put the van down in a little more of a rush than I would have liked this afternoon as the few rain spots we received began to fall. Did not want to pack up wet before we leave! Anyway, it had to go down, otherwise I would have just kept putting stuff in it and soon there would be nothing left in the house.
I suspect that our fuel efficiency may suffer as a result of my packing and the fact that we could probably build a new Discovery from the spare parts we have brought with us. The hose kit that looks like a cross between an octopus and Sigourney Weavers Alien is staying on the table at home. Scary.
Thanks to all who have wished us well. We have spent a long time planning and preparing for this adventure and tomorrow we begin.
See you on the road.
We put the van down in a little more of a rush than I would have liked this afternoon as the few rain spots we received began to fall. Did not want to pack up wet before we leave! Anyway, it had to go down, otherwise I would have just kept putting stuff in it and soon there would be nothing left in the house.
I suspect that our fuel efficiency may suffer as a result of my packing and the fact that we could probably build a new Discovery from the spare parts we have brought with us. The hose kit that looks like a cross between an octopus and Sigourney Weavers Alien is staying on the table at home. Scary.
Thanks to all who have wished us well. We have spent a long time planning and preparing for this adventure and tomorrow we begin.
See you on the road.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Getting there
The packing continues. Some very generous friends that have done this sort of thing before have loaned us all manner of entertainment, information and emergency equipment. Still cannot imagine driving out on Sunday, clothes and food still to pack (yes I know there are shops where we are going) and last minute suggestions from Mum!
My biggest hurdle, leaving work for the person who is replacing me is done! Yippee. My colleagues have been very supportive and helpful with all of this planning.
Rain continues to fall where we are heading. We could be in for an interesting journey.
My biggest hurdle, leaving work for the person who is replacing me is done! Yippee. My colleagues have been very supportive and helpful with all of this planning.
Rain continues to fall where we are heading. We could be in for an interesting journey.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Welcome to the travel blog of us
Have never done this before, and I hope it works. Will try to keep you updated as best we can. We leave on Sunday 28th for Mildura.
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