Enjoy Darwin Hi Mardi and Bap
We watched Darwin TV Thurs night and saw the big truck parade we watched last year. Wow, we have done a lot in a year, but we did enjoy it there. Keep in touch as we may be able to meet up. We plan to be around Brisbane way meeting friends 16/7 - 26/7, then will head to Cairnes. We will fly home for 3 weeks on 25/8 and then friends will join us in Cairnes on 18/9 and we will travel with them down to Brisbane.
Enjoy the warmth, it's still cooler than we would like here. Cheers Lynne and Chris
keeping in touch G,day to you both......love your pics and blog......guess where we have ended up AGAIN........Darwin....yes...same time as last year. It wasn,t on our itinery as we had gone up through outback Q,LD through Quilpie, Windorah then across to Birdsville (as couldn,t access from the sth) then Nth to Mt.Isa....where we had planned to go up to Karumba when we had contact with some last yr friends from S.A who were back in Darwin and they suggested to just come back over...like 1,600.klms...so say no more. The guys are now at the V 8,s races over the w/end.....It is SO hot. so we will go back via Kakadu then on the Savannah road from BRooloola.....To Karumba.....where eventually we will go to son,s place at Bowen......they are expecting their sec child at end of August......keep busy....regards...Mardi n Bap
Great Blog Good blog Lynne. Well written and photographed.
FYI we are going to the Sth Island 11.8.10 and return approx 30.8.10, if this fits in with your planns to come back to Auck.
Burra Hi You two,
You certainly get around. When M and I were in Adelaide for a year in 1983 we went to Burra and certainly found it facinating. The film Breaker Morant was filmed there using the old jail. SA gets very cold in the winter and even in Sydney now we had the first two frosts at West Pennant Hills this week. Canberra is very bleak!
Happy travelling,
Love C
Sorry to miss you all We spent 10 days at baylys beach, 9 days of rain . Reminded us what winter in NZ is like, although it's no better here in oz. Can't get to Queensland quick enough! Mainly back for Chris to visit the specialist and catch up with family. Hope to see you all next time. Cheers lynne
Hi Hi Lynne,
Sorry we missed seeing you while you were in NZ, but it is so great to get your blogs again. They are always a highlight. Seeing Chris in a "beanie hat" though shows how cold it must have been for you.
So good to hear from you Glad you got up to Sapphire again, we look forward to going back there too. We will certainly try to stay a few days with you on the way back up.
Not sure when it will be as yet. Cheers Lynne and Chris
keeping in touch Hi to you both, love your latest pics and news.......we did the Yorke Peninsular/ loved all the little quaint towns...would you believe we have bought a camper trailer off road..........still have the van...! I said i would be down grading to that in all my mod cons......but at least i can do some driving now. Our 5th grandie is due early Sept in Bowen...so looks like we will be heading that way. We hope to leave prob at the end of May.....not sure which way we will head yet.... enjoy your time at home...... regards Mardi n Bap
More to see yet! Thanks Susi, we will come home for 3 weeks, then continue on, there is still some places we haven't been, it's a BIG country! We want to go to Broken Hill, Canberra, and the se coast of NSW south of Sydney, as we have missed them. Then we will head back north to Queensland's east coast. The house is rented to November, but not sure how long we will stay over here at this stage. Cheers Lynne
Well Done It is amazing that you have done the whole of Australia. Your blog has been such a joy to read and it's been wonderful learning about the areas you visited. I must say Lynne, that you have a gift for writing and must somehow continue with it. Hopefully this won't be your last "issue", so I will stay tuned!
catchup Glad to know that the blood tests are all positive. Can't believe you have circumnavigated Aus already, seems no time at all. Will be in Sydney till 14th May with Cherry so will catch up when I get back. You obviously heard about Tony's accident and I went around to see him at home last week to find that he had had a call from Brenda's brother from the farm (who was looking after Molly the dog) to say they had Molly clipped on to the back of the truck on their way down to Waipu and when they got there - no dog. Panic stations, Stephen and his wife were very upset naturally and were combing the road looking for her. Tony went up the next day and got a phone call from a vet to say he had Molly. The lead clip had been attached to the thin ring for the ACC tag instead of the one on the collar and when they stopped at a road works on the trip she jumped off thinking the ride was over. She apparently found a house nearby and slept on the front verandah till the owner came home who then took her to the vet and they scanned for the microchip so hence the phone call to Tony. Great result for everyone.
We went to the Dawn Parade in Warkwoth this morning and there was a huge turn out. Had never been to one before so it was a new experience for me but worthwhile. We are in the middle of a drought up here in the North. We haven't had any decent rain since late February - more like Australia really so are really looking forward to a good downpour.
Steve and Elizabeths' house deal went through last week and they move on the 15th May, needless to say they are both excited, so will back back just in time from Sydney. Hope Tracey and Kent are having a good time in the U.K. - how are they going?
Had a Garden Club come to two or three of the properties in Oak River Drive so we spent a couple of weekends working to get it shipshape. Stu has become quite artistic lately and put up three old railway sleepers in the garden and painted them red. They look quite good and cost nothing which appealed to him. We had Stephanies' boys last weekend as they were in the States for a week and Sonia, Nestor and Solomon came up for the day on Saturday and a good time was had by all when "Pops" gave them rides on the Magic Carpet (a piece of old thick tarpaulin tied to the back of the John Deere and dragged around the section while they sat on it and also jumped on and off.
Louise, Simon and kids are fine. Oliver starting to settled down at school now, Ricco is now at daycare for two full days and one half day, much to his mothers relief and little Ben now 18 months old is into everything but gorgeous.
Well no more news, really enjoy all the news and photos from your travels.
Lots of love
Penny and Stu
Are you coming back to NZ in August, I seemed to remember you rented you house for two years from August.
Hi from the Far North Great to get your latest up-date. We will miss your great "blogs" when you return for good. Trust that we will see you while you are back in NZ. Weather up here is still rather dry. Had the odd shower of rain, just enough to maintain the Water Tank level with our days away. Had 6 great days on Sunbird in the BOI during Easter. The weather was great overall, some rain on 2 nights but otherwise good. Warm enough for a few swims. No fish biting. Joined the OPua Cruising Club for 2 BBQ's on the beach and some fun and games. A great bunch of older yachties.
Spent 6 hours out fishing yesterday for only 2 takeable fish. Returned a number of small fish.
Enjoy the remainder of your travels, and have some bubbly cold for a celerbration of the circumnavigation of Aussie.
Safe travels,
Graeme and Margaret.
phone call good summary as usual lynne. Sea food sounds nice. Thanks for phone call chris. finger caught by log in the log splitter. hit a knot i think. had to wait till i was 60 to get a ride in the amberlance. unfortunately index finger right hand so can not use that hand as in a cast. have had plastic surgery and a skin graft but need to wait till next tuesday to see if it has taken. still hoping to fly to sydney wednesday but not sure yet.
plan to be in melbourne friday.
cheers
Hope you enjoyed the golf as much as we did, it sure breaks up the journey. When you get to Whyalla, go to Fitzgerald Bay, the crabs there jump into your pot,
Keep on travelling safely
Kurt and Chris
keeping in touch G,day to you both.......hope you had a nice Easter..........we down graded and went tent camping with 2 other couples to Paddy river falls.....probably 50klms from Corryong.....over into N S W. was very relaxing around the camp fire....and sunny days. Glad you survived the Nullabor.....and the golf. Love hearing of your doings......enjoy.....love mardi......
Kalgoorie This place has always fascinated me, so thanks for the detailed descriptions. Edgar Hoover worked there as a mining engineer before he became President. Hope Lynne wasn't tempted to get a temporary job at Langtrees.
Pity we are friends with the wrong Larcombe family member!
Easter at Waiheke was stunning. Four days of dead calm seas in our bay which was full of boats, warm water for kayaking and swimming.
We are in Melbourne from 11 to 16 May to see Jersey Boys.
Nullabor It's stretching our memories - we were last there in the early 70's! Have you been following the progress of Jessica Watson from Mooloolaba in the Elle Bache "Pink Lady" attempting to be the youngest ever to sail around the world - look up her website "Jessica Watson". She is almost home and you can give her a wave as she sails south of you. I understand she will be sailing around the bottom of Tas before heading up the coast and hopes to be in Sydney in early May to be able to beat the record. As always, love all the pics. Happy Easter and happy travels. Just started to rain (again) here and Phil is out cycling. Me off to work shortly. Bye for now, Jill and Phil.
Hi Guys we are heading down to Busselton for the same show the people you met are going to. We will ask around and see if we can meet those people and mention that we know you too. You still sound like you are having the best time. We wont be going to far these school holidays Steve's truck is still not fixed so it has been 4 weeks it is supposed to be ready late in the first week of the holidays, so we will see. We love reading where you have been but I am so ashamed that you are more toutists that have seen more of our state than us. It will change one day hopefully, keep being safe and enjoying yourselves love from us Lou and Steve x
Easter Blog. Hi Lynne and Chris, Many thanks for the last 2 updates. Yiou were lucky to have missed the storm in Perth. You are still seeing some great sights and it is good to be able to keep up with your travels like this. Ric will be wishing that he could have had a piece of the nugget. Weather permitting, we will be sailing in BOI at Easter. The forecast looks favourable. I sailed the boat down to KeriKeri last Friday. Have rented a marina Berth for a couple of weeks.
I have been out fishing with friends who are staying with us for a couple of nights. Came home with 4 nice Snapper.
Don't eat too many Easter Eggs, but did hear on the TV this morning, Dark Chocolate is good for the health.
Best wishes and safe travelling, Graeme and Margaret.
Retired kiwis from Auckland , New Zealand, Chris and I have been travelling around Australia with a caravan and 4WD for the last couple of years..... full info
Susi
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Hi
Lynne, Well done on your painting. It is just great - another hidden talent. Cheers, Susi