Breaking new ground here! I’m actually typing this in the car with Chris at the helm doing all of her allowed 130 km/h. We are on the way to Mt Isa (in Qld) having spent the night at the delightful Safari Lodge Motel in Tennant Creek. I don’t need to report on either TC or the motel, since both were adequately covered on the way up. I do however owe you on Darwin. In summary, we loved Darwin. Magnificent in the morning and the evening - but you did need to be inside or swimming in the middle of the day. [View Full Entry]

---

---

So now we are in Darwin. After leaving the otherwise delightful Katherine - disappointed that we couldn’t find anywhere that had wi-fi, we headed off into Kakadu - not knowing quite what to expect. What is obvious from all of the reading is that it presents very differently depending on the time of year - and the season. Our trusty Lonely Planet tells us that this (the end of the dry) is the optimum time for birdlife - and pleasingly, the best time for mosquitoes. Crossing into the park, several things are obvious. 1. It is very dry - with little [View Full Entry]

---

---

Well folks, we have instalments. Prepared the blog as far as Katherine some time ago (seems eons), but comms being what they are, I havent been able to load it until now (Darwin) where I have connection for the entirety of our stay. I will bring you up to date with the next, but meantime, further tales to (hopefully) whet your appetite. As typed 4 days ago ......... You now find us in Katherine. A delightful town in the middle of nowhere and only 300kms from Darwin. But firstly, Alice. We did get a cancellation at our lodgings and were able [View Full Entry]

---

---

Another great day today. This place is a very pleasant place to visit - maybe especially at this time of the year. Weather is great and there is plenty to do. Today we visited Standley Chasm, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen Gorge, and the Ellery Creek 'Big (water) Hole'. Each was spectacular in its own way, and had we had our van, there was great camping at most of them. The pics dont do justice to Standley Chasm, as we tried to avoid others there and taking photos. It really is magnificent - particularly for about 15 minutes at noon with the [View Full Entry]

---

---

Well its time to get the blog underway again for the latest McLennan adventure. Stymied by a dodgy ticker we are forced to take our holiday in Oz - cancelling (at great expense) the well planned and Chris pacifying venture to the US of A. No matter. We challenge ourselves as usual. DARWIN or bust! So we start of on Monday morning (not early as we slept in) following a hectic weekend. Firstly the Grand Final followed by a well planned Russian extravaganza that tested both the new ticker and the old new shoulder - with frantic dancing including throwing around [View Full Entry]

---

---

Gday all Time for a closing entry. We have been back 2-3 weeks now, and all are settling back into their 'non-travel' lifestyle - for the moment at least. We have had some contact with most travellers over that time, and all have agreed that the trip was a fantastic experience. We contacted all, in an effort to identify any highlights, and somewhat predictacbly, the responses varied so much, that no 'trend' could be identified. The one exception however, was that most identified the companionship of the group as the stand-out. We have harrassed Doug for details of his fishing trip [View Full Entry]

---

---

Well this final (for now at least) blog is being completed at home in sunny Glen waverley. Relatively uneventful trip home - although mid stream in the long flight Chris was called upon to tend an unwell patient and predictably stepped up. Lady recovered quite well and was able to continue on in the Qantas flight into Melbourne. Very sad farewells at Auckland Airport, and for once, I do believe that certain members of the group will in fact keep in touch and catch up on occasions where circumstances permit. As promised, in this final blog, I have included Mike's Ditty [View Full Entry]

---

---

OK OK 2 in 1 day Now Puerto Varas is not necessarily our favourite place. Nothing much to do and it P1sst rain most of the day (yeah, I know, only the second day in 35 (disregarding the snowing and the blizzard)). But Helen decided that we should have a formal farewell dinner, and nobody wanted to argue. For our part, Pete, Chris and your correspondent scanned ALL of the restaurants in the area last night, and found what we thought was a beauty. Meantime, the trusty Valda happened upon the German club in the town and most others went there [View Full Entry]

---

---

You now find us in Puerto Varas - our last stay in the continent before heading home tomorrow night. We did the 2 day Andean crossing from Barilche tp Puerto Varas, stopping at the hamlet of Puella in between. The crossing on the Argentinian side is spectacular as you hop from bus to boat to bus to boat to bus, passing though two lakes, one huge and one smaller but originating in a glacier and therefor a bright turquise colour. Some spectcular scenery - followed up by more land based on the Chilean side. Puella is the original one horse town(we [View Full Entry]

---

---

And so, Calafate - First thing to say is that the internet connection in the Hotel was so spasmodic, and we were so tired from touring, I couldn’t be bothered with the blog while there. I am now diligently working in the plane (another MD80 from Austral), on the way to Bariloche. So much happened in Calafate, that I will try to keep it in sequence (and cram it into two blogs). First night arrival. Lovely hotel, high on a hill out of town. Pleasingly however, they have a half hourly shuttle, and it is just as well, as the food [View Full Entry]

---

---