124 day catch up Darwin - London - Perth

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Sorry I stopped writing after Broome but I can only blame one thing in fact 5 things there called Shireen, Cas, Nicki, Sarah and Tammy...yes i met my drinking matches with these guy's. 2 from Perth and 3 English we caused mayhem in Broome and decided to continue it on to Darwin. There were drinking games which seemed to involve me with my skirt up round my ears and the very skill full playing of a hoover pipe by Sarah and Tammy to win yet more beer for us to die by.

Sarah, Nikki and Tammy had to leave us and fly to Asia on there way back home and left me in the hands of Shireen and Cass oh how we did party. Anzac day arrived and I was full of anticipation for this day of celebration for the troops of Australia. Little did I realise that every sailor in the land was out and about in his uniform....officers and gentlemen too!! So after racing a car load of beautifully turn out sailors to get to Shireens, we find them in the same drinking hole we had nominated for the day. From about 2pm we had a table of sailors and a heavy day of drinking ahead of us, not before a quick game of 2 up though (some simple coin throughing came that's legal to play and gamble on only on Anzac day). The night was messy, sweaty, drunken and soooo much fun.

After all these crazy antics I decided to do some sensible things so in comes my sensible friend Sally and we packed up the van to go camping at Litchfield National Park. It's so stunning but unfortunately over crowded, the Florance Falls is such a great place to swim under a waterfall but it felt more like being at a wet n wild theme park as 100 other people all had the same idea. Sod that we though and went a little down stream and messed about swimming in the river with no one to bother us. We camped over night in the park and collected loads of fire wood and proceeded to cook our tuna pasta on an open fire....bloody lovely. Sally suggested that we sleep outside to add to the experience and all was going well until about 2am when the mozzies decided o eat us alive. Sally being wuss went and slept in the van but hard core me decided not to give in. The next morning I looked like I had chicken pox and probably had close to 100 bites just on my face and hands. Oh well lesson learnt. Next day we did a tour around all the other water falls but we weren't allowed to swim in them which was a shame. but still beautiful. I have an album of photos on facebook of our time there.

Sally left me and went on The Ghan train to Adelaide to see her parents and I was left with Cas and Shireen, there were plenty of hazy nights and moaning mornings filled with Macc's breakie and post mix coke. I only had 3 weeks now to get to margs so i had to step on it but i couldn't find a travel buddy.

Monday 28th April I wanted a good nights sleep and then I'd be off hopefully to Tenant Creek but maybe a stop in Katherine depending on the drive. 4am BLEEP RING BLEEP RING goes the bloody fire alarm at the hostel so much for a good mights sleep. I end up stopping over night in Katherine, a scary town that I couldn't wait to get out of. The battery died on the car at the supper market coz I left the lights on but thankfully a nice chap at the BP garage had some jump leads in his car and I had to then work out 1) were the main battery was, 2) where the second battery that ran the fridge etc was 3) how I was going to jump the car from one battery to another. I thank the lord I'm not some girly girl without a clue and managed to get the van started. But on the the other hand if I was a girly girl the man in the BP Garage may have done it for me and I would have been on my way quicker.... he he he

Next night I made it after a long drive to Tenant Creek, a very pleasant little town half way between Darwin and Alice. I was informed that for $3 I could enjoy a show at 7pm round the camp fire with a bush tucker expert. So off I go with my box of goon to watch this famous bush tucker expert. He regaled us with tales from his life about sleeping under trees and owning a violent parrot name Wit-Bix then out came the bush tucker, some was very tasty like the watery grapes that come from a parasitic fly and a weed that when soaked you could rub in your hands to make soap. Then out came the witchey grubs, which do look like giant maggots in fact thats exactly what it is. But instead of making us eat it raw like "I'm a Celebrity" he cooked them on the fire and I have to say it as rather good. It has a texture similar to prawns but a taste that's very nutty, like roasted chestnuts at Christmas. Please guy's do have a go, they're lovely!

Alice Springs was next and the amazing 3 day camping trip to Uluru, The Olgas ang Kings canyon. This has to be one of the highlights of my trip. Our tour guide Halley was a NUTTER! Making us play games on the bus that could have ended in death had she breaked hard! We camped in swags in the bush around a camp fire and spent our days hiking, such a great time. i have loads of pic on FB.

At Alice I picked up Anthony from Italy, we drove down to Adelaide together with no music as his iPod had been stolen I though mine had too (I discovered on arrival to Adelaide it was in my bag all along). We stopped over night at Cober Peddy and stayed in the famous underground cave hostel.

I didn't want to stay long in Adelaide i was just there to drop of Anthony and pick up a german couple to continue on the Perth. unfortunatley the German couple dropped out but this turned out for the best as i then met Anne and Steph who were my final travelling compamions and we had a blast. Travelling accross the nullabor plain there is really nothing to see or do but we managed to make it fun and even saw the most beautiful sunset i have every seen. Or the most Ooh La la sunset as Steph would put it.

We camped in National parks along the way including Cape La Grand NP where you share the white sandy beachs with nobody but a few roo's. Unfortunatly just after Esparence the Gear box went on the van and we were stranded for 5 hours on teh roadside while we waited for someone to come and tow us. That night was spent camping in the wreckers yard, not the most wonderful secenery! Finally after 2 days and a very friendly Lithauinian lady who gave us a bed for the night we were on our way and 10 hours later cold hungry and very tired we arrived in Margs. We had a very warm reception with beers and music and a bed.

It was then back to perth for me to get my van broken into and all my stuff stolen so quickly get an emergency passport and then Home to the UK for Suz's wedding. 3 weeks later I was back in perth celebrating my birthday. I was house sitting for Dawn and Obi so got some temp work and a bar job. With a bit more money in my pocket I decided to head off to Cairns.

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