Crocodile Dundee Territory

Further to our brief Kakadu update, we now able to get on line with Wi-Fi at our Darwin campsite.




Well what an experience the Northern Territory Top End has been. We have met so many like - minded travellers from different parts of Australia, Far East, Europe as well as UK.

"Vicky" our campervan is very comfortable, the fridge is a godsend and so is the fan at night because it has been very hot, 40 deg C plus by day and nearly that at night. By the time we have had Happy Hour and a Barbecue, it is dark by 7pm. We download the photos onto the laptop, and get an early night. We are awake by 6am ready for the new day.

After Jabiru, we went to Nourlangie Rock and saw fantastic aborigine art work on the rocks. At the top we surveyed Arnhem Land and could see the deliberately lit bushfires (to burn off old undergrowth). Next morning, having watched two dingoes close to our van, we set off on the 2hr Yellow Water cruise at 6.45 am. Saw about 20 crocodiles, some huge ones 4 metres long and loads of bird life – sea eagles, sacred ibis, dacta birds, whistling kites, little azure kingfishers and 'Jesus' birds that appeared to walk on water.

Next day was at Katherine, swam in the thermal pools. Every campsite has a swim pool, so my aim is to swim at least once every day, the temperature of the pools though is like a warm bath about 37 deg. Next trip was the 4 hr cruise up 3 of Katherine's gorges, starting early morning. On the way up we saw aboriginal rock paintings dating back 8000 years. In the wet season the gorge can flood up to 20 metres depth – a lot of water! In the second gorge we climbed the cliff to see more paintings, this time yellow ochre rather than red and even older. At the top of the 3rd gorge we walked to the vortex holes, where you can see how the swirling waters of flood water have worn away the rock. Coming back down to the first gorge we pulled over to the bank and had a swim in the river. I also had a go blowing the Guide's didgeridoo. He said I was making a 'buffalo' call!!

Left Katherine after lunch and stopped for another swim in the Edith Falls, no crocs! Charlie the buffalo was standing (stuffed) on the bar at the Adelaide river roadhouse (Crocodile Dundee fame). While we were there a coach load of people arrived for breakfast before joining the Ghan train. There had been a derailment South of Darwin earlier in the week. Yesterday we made our way to Litchfield Park, very lush tropical palm and pandanus trees. The park has more undulating bushland than Kakadu. Saw the magnetic termite mounds, all aligned N to S (a living Stonehenge). More swimming at Wangi Falls where we saw lots of bats in the trees, and finally dipped into the Buley Rock holes, waterfalls with deep swimming pools, a bit cooler water. Peter is enjoying 'networking' with the other cooks at the barbecue every evening while I write the 'blog'. We visited Darwin beaches which were deserted on account of the stingers (lethal jelly fish). The Darwin Art Gallery has an excellent display of Aborigine Art and explained some of the art which we have seen during the last few days. The Darwin Museum exhibits relating to Cyclone Tracey (which wiped out Darwin, Christmas Eve 1974), were particularly interesting as I had received refugee children at my school in Melbourne at the time.

All in all, a brilliant start to the trip. See our photos in the Gallery.

Flying to Cairns tomorrow. Catch up with us again in Queensland. Sheila & Peter

Update from Kakadu

Jumping crocodiles! It is extremely hot in northern territory. So far
we have fed crocodiles on the adelaide river, lost our dinner to some
crows and fended off dingoes with the same idea! Have visited
aboriginal art rock paintings and climbed the lookout to see across to
arnhem land. Have cruised yellow water and seen more crocodiles and
everything from eagles to kingfishers. Each day we have managed to
stop at a campsite with a refreshing swim pool followed by a barbq.

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Singapore Sauna

Well, the first leg of our trip has been hectic. "Gone Walkabout" means just that! We've walked up and down Orchard Rd several times. It has changed considerably since Peter was last here 40 years ago. Instead of the many smaller businesses it is now mainly a street full of Bluewater type designer, quite expensive shopping malls, thankfully all air-conditioned as we have been melting in the intense humidity.

The Botanical Gardens were fantastic, particularly the orchids, such a variety of colours and species. Naturally, we paid a visit to the Long Bar at Raffles for a gin sling and peanuts, the shells of which have to be ceremoniously dropped on the floor! The hotel still retains its colonial charm and decadence. We have walked round Chinatown at night, sampling dishes at the various stalls, also saw a dragon dance.

We've caught the new Sentosa express (monorail) across to Sentosa Island, the most southerly point of the Asian continent! Walked along to a very quiet beach, spent a couple of hours there. Before we left the island we saw a show on the beach - 'Song of the Sea'. This was a high-tech 'son et lumiere' with lasers, water jets and fireworks. Excellent.

We've enjoyed our stopover here and even had time to enjoy the rooftop pool. Singapore is a very clean, modern city, with people who are very friendly and helpful. There is more than enough to see here in the few days we've had.

In the beginning

Way back in 1970, I was teaching in a school near Ilford and realised I wanted to travel, see something of the world but keep working to pay for it. So in January 1971 I emigrated to Australia, took up residence in Melbourne and got a teaching post at a suburban primary school.

In order to make new friends and see something of the Outback I joined the Youth Hostelling Association, whose activities included everything from bushwalking, sailing to snow skiing.
Peter, meanwhile, travelling the world as a Radio Officer in the Merchant Navy decided he wanted to see more of one of the countries that he had visited. So he also became a £10 Pom and emigrated to Melbourne where he started working for a telecoms engineering company.

That year, the YHA Bushwalking Group hosted a Hallowe’en party and it was there that Ron (another Pom and later to be our best man) introduced us. There was a raffle – I won a bottle of Invalid Stout and Peter won a bottle of Sparkling Rose. So we decided to share the prize by going out to a BYO restaurant in Camberwell on our first date!

Just over a year and many bushwalks later, we left Melbourne on Boxing Day for a month’s touring/camping in Peter’s Renault 10 inland to Brisbane, coast road to North Queensland, back to Brisbane via Charters Towers and coast road back to Melbourne. Whilst in Yepoon at Wreck Point (on Tropic of Capricorn) on New Year’s Eve, Peter popped the question. I said "Yes" and was presented with the ring-pull from a can of Foster's as my first engagement ring! We were married 2nd June 1973 and continued to explore Oz – Victoria, Tasmania, South Aust, the Red Centre, NSW, even New Zealand (me).

When we returned to UK to raise our family, we promised ourselves that one day (like the proverbial boomerang) we would retrace our steps. As you know our girls have all been down under for holidays backpacking and now it’s our turn to “SKI”.
So here we go.
Sheila

Blog from phone

Test blog from my phone Peter

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Posting from Email

Just trying out to see if I can post to the blog via email

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