Darwin

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G’day everyone,

If we got paid for every time we said G’day or How ya goin mate? we could probably retire. Better than shove off you Victorian idiots - I guess. Anyway, at the moment we are camped up in Darwin with Tanya (Angie’s sister) in a house that she is renting and the kids are getting their fix of TV and DVD. Apparently ‘TV Deficiency Syndrome’ (TVDS-Aust. Med. Journal March 1989 Vol 3. Pg 45-89) is a medical condition proceeded by whining, whinging and a bad temper after being in the backseat of a car for 4 hours on the Stuart Highway.

On the way we went to Palm Valley on a really rough 4WD track, stopped at Mataranka and Douglas Daly thermal springs and Wycliffe Wells, which is supposed to be the UFO capital of Australia. Apparently most of the sightings have occurred around closing time at the local bar. Incidentally, you can order a sit down meal at the Wycliffe caravan park and be entertained (all night) by a spritely 80 year old gentlemen as he plays his entire repertoire of songs on a genuine Hammond organ. From 6.30 to 9.00pm when the last note is played.

Darwin has been fantastic. We’ve been to the Mindil market and had tea on the beach while the sun went down, done a bit of shopping, been to Tanya’s block of land near Mandorah and swam in lots of thermal pools or waterholes and. At Berry Springs, we swam at the small waterfall which acted like a spa at its base and then followed the river to a huge swimming hole where the kids jumped off the bank and dived under the water to see the fish (bream, etc) swimming in the pool. Ange had to keep on stomping in the water to stop the fish from nibbling her feet and legs.

This last weekend we went off to Litchfield to camp at Sandy Creek in the national park. We swam at numerous waterholes, drove through a fire that was burning about 5 km from our campsite and went through a water crossing that was deeper when we left than when we went in to the campsite the day before. We’ve even got the t-shirt - Litchfield: swam in the waterholes, driven through the bushfire, done the river crossing. I leave you with the quote from Lucy about the flies: “Bloody flies, bloody stupid, bloody flies”. With that we’ll leave you and try to put another entry in either Kununurra or Broome.

Cheers.

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Photos

Palm Valley
No dints

Wycliffe Wells
Mural on toilet walls.

Wycliff Wells
Picture boards at the caravan park

Devil'sMarbles
Ange and Lucy

Thermal pool - Mataranka 2
The temp. is around 25 degrees and apart from the yellow-tailed tree snake climbing into punter's towels and the 3 metre olive python lying under the board walk, pretty nice place really.

Mindil market beach
The tide goes out about 200 metres. It also comes back 200 metres. That's longer than some people's holidays.

Tanya's block
Tanyas block is on the harbour in Darwin - 1.5 hours by road or 20 minutes by boat.

Termite mounds
On the way to Berry Springs. Lets see pest contollers deals with these guys.

Sandy creek waterfall
The water was really cold but because flies can't swim.....it was really good

Litchfield grass fire
Just after this photo, the rangers came flying down the track to back burn and keep the fire from burning towards the Blythe Homestead. These fires are going all the time in NT, especially around Darwin, but burn really slowly.

Litchfield river crossing
Below the wheel height going in but at the top of the wheels coming out. Luckily the Jacks waterproof.

Comments

[Brenda]

Breathtaking
All your photos bring back such wonderful memories of our own trip up the Centre. Must make time to do it again. Glad to hear you continue to have a good time. Have you thought of buying a bit of mosquito netting to combat the "bloody flies". I await your next set of photos. Say Hello to Tany from me. Love Brenda PS We move into the rental property this weekend. I think the renovations might really be starting!!

[kym rod jack roy and ruby]

travelling
HI guys We have enjoyed looking at your photos. It reminds us of our time out there. You must be in travelling mode by now and enjoying the pace of life as it should be, slow enough to enjoy each other and the wonderful countryside. Great to share your blog. our love and best wishes the pedos

[Verona and Colin]

Little Red Blotches that itch
Gday Ange and Geoff and Lloyd and Molly and Lucy, We have left Kakadu and are back in Katherine. Loved the updates and photos - esp the fires, flies and river crossing - all very exciting but safe of course. We left Cooinda and lobbed for a quick visit at Gonlam falls - that plunge pool was great but the rockpools at the top were just sensational. Hope you travel safely and say gday to the Sweetmans if and when you catch up with them - although sounds like the "middle lagoon" is really something special - half your luck - cant wait for the slide show - I am emailing all the AFL clubs to find out where we can get additional supplies of No Doze. Must be some spare at Optus Oval. And how bout those Doggies - WOOF WOOF WOOFFFFF. Better finishers than the Aussie cricketers ! Cheers and best wishes, The Gridleys.