Advertisement
Published: August 22nd 2006
Edit Blog Post
Charlie the Buffalo
Crocodile Dundee lovers!! Sorry guys it has been a long time but we have had trouble gaining access to the internet. Thanks for all your well wises and emails.
Day 119 Sunday 30 July 2006
Daly River to Darwin
We were all excited to visit Darwin as Nana and Pop were to arrive in two days time.
On the way we stopped at Adelaide River - the pub with Charlie the buffalo from Crocodile Dundee. He is huge and stuffed sitting on the bar. We were a little concerned on where we booked as people had mixed reactions. Freespirit with it’s three pools, restaurant, bar and activities. We were very surprised when we arrived- really nice more a resort than anything. We set up the annexe and had some more space again. The kids found their friends again - Declan and Zali. How excited they were. We met up with Wes and Amanda and had nibblies and a BBQ afterwards.
Day 120 Monday 31 July 2006
Darwin
Nana and Pop to arrive tomorrow morning early. Everbody was excited. It was nice to see a large shopping centre - Palmerston that was very similar to Southland.
Day 121 Tuesday 1 August 2006
Sweetheart the Crocodile
This was at the museum - a huge croc! - Day 130 Thursday 10 August 2006
Darwin
Tuesday we drove around town and showed Mum and Dad some sights. We also went out with Wes and Amanda for tea at the Yacht club. Nice sunsets and nice food.
Wednesday we visited the Museum. This is a really great museum which shows exhibits on Cyclone Tracy which occurred on Christmas Eve 1974, Sweetheart the crocodile and others. The afternoon was spent by the pool
Thursday night is the Mindil Beach Sunset Market night. This is an evening market that goes from 5 till 10pm. They have a huge amount of food for sale-icecreams, asian food, Mexican, Indian, greek, pancakes. The idea is to buy some food for tea whilst watching the sunset. There are also many crafts for sale from leather products, clothes, jewellery and gems. There are buskers and bands playing. We all enjoyed eating a variety of food whilst watching the bands that plays didgeridoo and the kids watched fire shows, jugglers and the “Amazing Drumming monkeys”.
Friday we drove to Litchfield National Park for a day trip. We visited Sandy creek which was via a 4WD track and walked a 2km track to
swim in a waterhole. Beautiful waterhole with more waterfalls. The water was refreshing and Graeme of course had to jump off the rocks again into the waterhole. All these young kids were doing it so Graeme and Duane went up to jump. Graeme had to take a second look at it before he jumped as it was so high and scary but the water is so deep you have no problems. Duane was very hesitant and eventually I said I would give it a go and climbed up on the rocks to be supportive to Duane when I took one look and I too took a step back. But I just had to do it in front of Duane so I closed my eyes, held my nose and jumped into this waterhole. Oh my god if you know what a colonoscopy feels like it was very similar to that (ie. The water just rushed up my bottom in nice words). Needless to say Duane never jumped. But it was a beautiful swim and walk back to the car where there were no picnic tables to have lunch so we ended up eating lunch out of the back of the car
The Amazing Drumming Monkeys
Kiera absolutely loved these buskers. and sitting on newspaper amongst the ants. Oh well this is the Top End. Dad (Poppy) even had his first experience at 4WD when he went through a water crossing. He was stoked. We visited Blyth Homestead. Blyth Homestead was established in 1928 by Harry Sargeant. He had 14 kids. They were self sufficient. They raised beef cattle, miled cows and grew their own grains, fruits and vegetables. One of the stories I read was about the nine year old son who had a pet crocodile. He used to follow the little boy everywhere and would only go in the shallows of the river as he was too frightened to swim with the other larger crocodiles. When the family had to move because of flood and fires the little boy made up a sling and put on the side of the donkey to move it to the next camp. I can just picture a little boy with his pet crocodile. In the afternoon we visited Florence Falls which was another waterhole that you could swim in. The water is quite cool in these waterholes.
Saturday - Graeme went to the races. We took Nana and Pop to the
Emdee
One of the buskers at the Mindil Sunset Beach Market. WWII tunnels which extends from the wharf and run under the city. They were constructed to protect Darwin’s oil supplies from the enemy during wartime bombardment and show photographic displays of Darwin in the war. We then had icecream on the Stokes Hill Wharf. It is the Darwin Cup on Monday the 7th so Darwin is very busy at this time.
Sunday - We visited the Mindil sunset beach market again to look at things we missed and to buy more knick knacks. Mum, Dad and Duane went on a Harley Davidson motorbike ride around the city.
Monday we enjoyed the day at the Darwin Cup where we didn’t back a winner but we all enjoyed the day. We also caught up with Paul Kingsbury who was very funny as had a few too many drinks. I don’t think this will be the last time to visit Darwin - a great day out. Thanks Kevin for your tip - it didn’t come in. Nozi was the winner of the Darwin Cup.
Nothing much else happened except visiting the East Point Military Museum. Dad really enjoyed this as he enjoys all the War memorabilia. It was very interesting
Mindil Beach Sunset Market
Nana, Pop and Duane being bikies for the night! but I forgot to take my camera so no pictures. They showed a video of the air raids on Darwin, artillery and armoured vehicles, firearms and German and Japanese exhibits. 1942-1943 Darwin was bombed by the Japanese.
Thursday - Nana and Pop to leave today. A sad day. For the third time we went to the Mindil sunset beach market to see the “Amazing Drumming Monkeys”. Kiera absolutely loved them. I still cannot get their songs out of my heeeead!!!
Day 131 Friday 11 August 2006
Darwin
Today we went to the Wilderness Park which is 45 minute drive from Darwin. This is an open-air wildlife park that is set in 400 hectaures of natural bushland. Paths weave through various ecological habitats, past a huge aviary , a nocturnal house, aquarium and open fields of kangaroos and wallabies. We saw raptors, lizards, snakes, water buffalo, kangaroos, wallabies, spiders, frogs, fish, pelicans. We spent 6 hours here and you can either walk around the park or you can be picked up by a train that meets you at the various exhibits. The excitement of the day was when Duane went to pat a kangaroo and it growled at him.
Sandy Creek
THE BIG JUMP!! This is in the Litchfield National Park. This was so funny!!!
Day 132 Saturday 12 August 2006
Darwin
We took the kids to the Leanyer Aquatic centre. This is an amazing outside pool area which was free with a number of waterslides, water guns (like the navy ships) and a huge bucket that fills up every 10 minutes or so and empties over the whole area. If you are standing under the bucket when it empties you are knocked off your feet. Graeme and I had a ball feeling like big kids. Duane had the best time!!!! And Kevin, we didn’t miss having a beer at the famous “Shenannigans” great pub.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.052s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 11; qc: 25; dbt: 0.0267s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb