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Published: August 8th 2007
Current Mood: Tired and ready to get the tent out!
Well well well its been a month im usually quicker than this ay!! Like I said towards the end of the last blog I would wait a while to upload another one! The reason is I don’t want to be boring the poo out of you all with my stories of work as its becoming to be very samey if you understand!! These bloggs are for fun times not work times (even though Melville is a blast)
So where do I begin?!?!?! Erm yeah……. The Nomad! Well the Nomad is the new toy myself and Brett are breaking in slowly so at the end of the last shift we made plans to take a little road trip to Litchfield National Park and Kathryn! Well as plans always change and develop myself and Rob were really getting into the ideas of camping on the break and as my buddy from the uk (shell) had arrived we decided to load the Van full of smelly bods and do the 500km trip over three days!
So I returned from the island on the Monday afternoon which was a few days earlier
than normal to catch up with Shell!! We got into the beers pretty heavily that night and after dancing it up in the Vic (as some may refer to as the centre of the world.. Hey Jen xx ) we were inevitably plastered so wobbled home to spack out on the floor of the living room!! Its always good to see familiar faces from home it allows you to properly let you hair down and in my case there is a lot to let fall!!
Waking on the Tuesday morning I was supposed to get up go out and get some gear together for the Wednesday morning adventure to Grand old Florence Falls. Hahah as per usual though my big fat self was to Hungover to move so dosing around the house for the day we awaited Robs return from the island before getting anything sorted! After picking him up we got down to the local supermarket (coles… great store) to spend 200 hundred dollars on food and drink for the trip of doom it would later turn out to be hahaha what a ride! After a little bit of a shop we scored a football (soccer ball for
the confused ozzies) and shot home for a Dominoes pizza and some sleep before the big day….. and what a big day it was.
On Wednesday the 25th of April we were all up… loaded into the Nissan Nomad and on route to Litchfield. I’ve missed the opportunity a few times to visit this park so after speaking with rob I was too excited about what was to come!! Brett and Shell hogging the front seats myself and Rob were stuffed in the back we got on our way at around 8am with a smooth trip to Florence Falls in Litchfield National Park. The Van seemed to be Fine!! Happy days I was thinking!
So we arrived at the falls to be greeted with a bit of a walk to get to the actual foot of the Fall Not before loosing my glasses over the side of a viewing point (flew straight of the Hat whilst taking pictures). Heading Down the steps (in a quiet pissy about my shades that id found) we were informed by rob that there may be rock Wallabies about so all excited Shell was looking everywhere!! Bless her she was so worried about
swimming with fish!! Hahaha!! At the Bottom its obvious to see why so many people Rave about the Falls….. They are amazing! The water is so fresh with a weird current that pushes you in all sorts of directions!! Straight away being the action man he is Rob dived straight in and went for it, Brett Just after and myself… after having to talk shell into getting in!! Once in she loved it!! The Falls are footed with a massive fresh pool so battling through the current of it we got to where the Water hits the bottom and swam through the falling water to the inside of the splash!! It was amazing!! My first Big waterfall!! So after getting used to the spray of the water and getting my breath back from the swim Brett Climbed part of the wall maybe to 10 feet to make a jump from it through the falling water!! I was like ‘I’m having some of that’ so after a bit of faffing about trying to climb up I was on the rock and ready to Dive!! It was wicked!! You literally get thrown at the pool diving through the Fall!! The weight of
the water As you hit it seems to just grab you and speed the falling process up almost double hahha so out I dived and down I went at what seemed to be 100 miles an hour!! Wicked!! Straight back up for another go!!
So for a few hours we all just swam about building up a hunger…. I went ‘BUSH’ In search of my glasses to find them straight away un-marked and after a little drying off period we decided it was time to get stuck in to our well earned tucka!! Finding a little pull-in not to far from Florence falls grounds we set up a little area at the back of the Van and got stuck straight in!! I amazed the guys with my soccer tricks hahaha and the Ozzies insisted that it was not a good game!! Never mind ay! After Munch we decided it was time to get on the road and Hit an area 40km North of Kathryn…. Edyth Falls!
This is where things began to get a little messy heheh! We got on route this time Rob Driving and myself the Passenger!! After a heavy night on the piss Shell and
Brett Crashed out in the Back!! The first hour-ish all seemed fine when Rob talked of the Van beginning to pull to the left a little more than it had been!! Un be known to us the wheels were knackered and Not to much further from noticing the problem Bang went one of the wheels and to the side of the road we went!! I thought ahh shit I bet we don’t have a spare although luckily we did!! So after much pissing about having no luck with wheel nuts we were thinking the trip was already done and mechanics were needed to get us out of this pickle we were in!! God dam those nuts were tight!! But Rob saved the day in a fit of confidence he banged the steering wheel and said ‘Lets have another crack at the bastard’. And that he did this time freeing the nuts and saving the day!! Hahah for now!
So sorted and a little dusty we were around 2km from Adelaide River where we decided it would be of need to check into a garage and see about another wheel for the in case!! Not finding one but finding a
little Pub we decided it would be very rude not to call in for a beer!! Yeah Baby.. to my surprise the Pub was the Pub from Crocodile Dundee in the scene where he comes in with the croc and throws it on the Bar saying ‘ill have another one of these’ or something like that!! It was wicked hahaha I was on set…. (Han bet your jealous! xx). It also held the Stuffed Buffalo from the film!! I couldn’t believe it!! Hahahahah this is one for Nan she loves that film!! The pub was filled with real Ozzie Looking Locals (crocodile teeth in their hats kind of thing) playing all sorts of weird games and just chilling out in True Ozzie form!! It was Anzac Day though!! Big Day out here!!
So after a beer and being all pleased with myself we all piled back into the motor to just about complete another 2 hours of driving to Edyth Falls making it easily but still in need of tires and now Petrol hahah oooh the fun this trip was bringing!
Arriving at the Camp site we set up pretty quickly and got down to the massive Lake
with a dot of a fall on the other side!! Well it looked like a dot for being so far away!! Never the less im never defeated by a challenge so into the Crocodile infested waters we dived and across we swam!! I was shitting bricks to say the least!! After the big swim we literally chilled out for the night! We got well stuck into the Slab of beers we bought and got a fire going for the meat dinner including abit of Kangaroo which was different to say the least! After many beers… a tune or two from Rob on his Guitar… to much meat and plentiful Mozzie bites I was shagged and decided to hit the hay!! It was great sleeping in this Mozzie Net tent as every time I woke the sky was just filled with millions of stars!! Wicked stuff… this is what life is all about! Cheers for the tent Amber saved me a penny or two for that weekend!
After an alright nights kip I woke around 7am to be greeted by the sound of wildlife and the morning sunshine!! Waisting no time I got up and washed to get set for
a Walk around the surrounding falls!! There was this Loop walk that took you up and around these upper pools and falls which turned out to be really impressive!! Leaving the Guys in their bed I shot out for a morning stroll meeting Rob Half way around!! He had had the same idea it seemed so chilling with him for a while we eventually got back to camp to wake the Lazy two up!!
When they were up and out of the Van we checked the wheels to find that the other front one was on its way out!! Shell and Brett decided to go and do the Loop so me and Rob decided it was best to remove all of the wheels on the van putting the good Back ones on the front and vice versa!! Today we didn’t have so much if a drive and we knew we could get wheels in Kathryn so risking the nearly empty tank of petrol we got some breaky in us and set out with no problems other than the $300 cost for three new wheels on the Nomad!! With new shoes she run perfectly!! I F*****G love this Van! Cannot
wait to hit the West Coast in it!
After getting to Kathryn… buying wheels and driving around looking for camp sites we eventually decided to get out first to check out some hot springs!! Ahh man they were good!! It gets toasty in the Nomad so to get a dip in the not so hot Springs was pleasant! After another swim we were set fro some lunch and after this it was looking like Tequila time!! And who am I to argue??? A mere no one!!
Quickly finding a camp site with a pool we all had a bit of a splash before my self and Rob shot out to get some Vodka and Coke to add to our Rum and Tequila! So leaving the other two we shot out quickly to get prepped for the night leaving shell and Brett to get the Fire going!! Not two minutes down the road was this little bridge crossing so at no real speed we drove down this little lane and across the bridge before heading up the other side to pass two coppers!! Well…. An Old looking Nomad… Me with my Fro… Rob with his Shades on… Neither of
us looking to have a care in the world… must have looked fishy as hell to these bored little town Red neck Coppers so with further ado they were quickly turning round to issue us with a $200 speeding fine (45km in a 25km area apparently) and a Defected light permit, what tossers!!!! To be honest though I think we shot our selves in the foot hahaha as when we got pulled I got out of the van thinking how am I going to explain this one?!?!? Still waiting for our registration papers that are in Bretts name… the story was that Brett had lent me the Van but not having a license Rob had to drive for the trip!! We couldn’t say Brett was at camp as that would have twigged them that we were travelling with four people in a two seater van so of asked my story was as above!! Not interested in me they went straight to Rob to collar him for the Speeding and assuming it was his Van!! Leaning into the passenger side of the Van still standing out side im mulling over the story in my head hahahhaa but then lookinginto the Back
I noticed one of Shells skirts and Knickers on the Bed….. Ahh shit o though how will we explain that if they ask hahaha so when the police went to do a registration check I pointed itout to Rob who instantly burst out laughing!! I told him I was going to say they were his if the copper asked so Still in tears the coppers came back to see we were just taking the piss out of them hahahah never mind we got out of it but it was funny!!! $200 Fine though…. You wankers!!!
So back to camp we went after being warned of the rules about driving a defected Van and buying more alcohol to tell the guys of the little adventure!! Missing dinner through not wanting to cook we got stuck right into the Grogg which led to us chasing Crocodile eyes up and down the river with a torch light!! Yeah man this was fun I cant believe how much working in the Bush is changing me!! Even though I still hate anything with more legs than two I couldn’t get enough of the proper out doors!! Gotta thank Rob for this, mate you’ve done
me proud with that Job!! Tar very much!! So after drinking all we had in the empty bottles we got well pissed forgot about the copper incident and I think I passed out with no waking up at all until at least 9am. Shell passed out in the camping Chair and god knows what Rob and Brett done!! All I know was I felt like a monster the next day!! God Dam Tequila and piss arse Mexicans!!
So the final day arrived and the trip was going to be twitchy!! We were all on alert for old bill with this defect ticket in the window, but with no real hassles we got home pretty easily with no problems for the Van Regarding Breakdowns or wheels! Happy Days!
Well from this point onwards home safe and sound I had a few days left to chill out before work on the Tuesday so just Hanging around Darwin and hitting the Sunday sesh for shell to experience at the Cav the remainder of this break was pretty chilled out!!
So after a good week’s break I was back on the Plane and back over to the island for another good
8 day shift!! The shift went pretty well!! Plenty of variety for this shift as I was out Setting traps to assess endangered animals in the surrounding Blocks already accepted and Marked for Clearing! The other Bonus was that we had got to go back out to The block I talked of in a previous Blogg where myself and Rob were crossing some Hairy looking creeks!! Ahhh it was as good this time though we walked some K’s this time over the three days!! The first of the three was a really an entrance mission!! After getting pretty disorientated last time we had to find a better way in but from maps you can never really tell what the land is going to be like!! All they really do is give you knowledge into the possible locations of Creeks etc but Wet lands and swamps don’t seem to be picked up, then hence all the walking to assess actual plantation areas! So the first Day we were looking at better access routes to the area! From all directions the distance was about 3km in which is a pain in the arse for later Work loads like Dunnart (small mouse like
things) trapping where tonnes of Material needs to be carried to the sites!!
Looking at maps we decide to go in from another Block already cleared and planted which would potentially put us nearer the area and make access easy!! Hahhaha like I said before the Maps don’t tell all so into the swamps we went shitting our pants as this is a known Crocodile Breeding ground!! Thank god we didn’t see any!! Fun it was though as there were times where we would be up to our knees and Rob being the camera man for the day insisted on getting shots of me in the Water holes before the crocs spotted us hahah it was a laugh!! Health and safety will go mad if they read this hahahaha! (on that note we want SHOT GUNS)
So successfully in after debating on routes due to scariness we found a fallen tree that bridged the river/creek that was a bit of a funny balancing act!! For the week the bet was on as to who would fall in first!! To be honest with my wobbly knees it looked a lot like it would be me hahha But to Robs
we spoilt her hahahadisappointment and filming me in hope, I never fell. My first Successful block was sorted and I was chuffed!! In between the Walking Days I was out helping Sean (an Ecologist) dig survey traps which made things a little less monotonous! With the shift coming to an end My self and Rob were getting ready for another fun pact Break!! Unfortunately no camping but this break is to bring Spider Man 3 and Bretts 21st Birthday!! I cant wait its going to be special!!! Spider Man, spider man…. Ahh where are you Han for my excitement!! Think Rob gets a little more excited than you though!
Well I’m off after yet another massive read hahah sorry Guys ill try to cut them down at some point! Untill then know this…… I miss you all at home so much lately really love to hear from you so please get inouch!!
Love from your Big brother Kids……..
And love from a Brummy
Niki xx
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That dude mobile is very sexy, and I imagine you all packed up in there bouncing along without a care in the world! Enjoy it all. Road trips are the best! Hugs and sunny smiles xxxxxxx