Well as I have
said before, time certainly does fly when you least expect it too……….
Friday 25th May
Darryl and Michael went fishing again today and returned with some more crabs
and three fish – so we had lovely fresh black bream and rock cod for dinner –
yummo…. J
Saturday 26th May Today we hung around the caravan as it was NOT a good day for me L It took me until about 11 to get vertical and then I was still not 100% for the rest of the day – so not a lot to write about L Darryl really wanted to go to the Parap Markets BUT wouldn’t go and leave me. Such a concerned hubby – but he should have gone because all I could have done was fall on the floor………
Sunday 27th May Today Darryl and I left Buster at the van and we went for a drive in and around Darwin. We found East Arm boat ramp that Darryl used to go to BUT looks nothing like it….. it has been completely rebuilt and is very flash……
East Arm Ramp
Neville Walker Bridge!!!!!
They even have talking public toilets that let you know how long you have to do your business before the doors unlock…………. And it plays music to you J
We then went to SupaCheap SupaStore at Pinelands on the way to Palmerston and got some air vents to go into the window for Buster. They look like Amplimesh and will give him fantastic Airflow if we have to leave him in the car at any time whilst we are driving.
Dinah Beach Ramp
houses near the ramp
Frances Bay Road
FOR BECKIE AND BEN :)
Careela Street
Carrabie Street
Carrabie Street
Went to Nightcliff for Fish and Chips and took them back to the van and stayed with Buster for the rest of the afternoon.
Monday 28th May Darryl and Michael went fishing again – and they came home with 4 crabs ….
I did the ‘housework’ again and tried to print out his Chilli Crab recipe and do some more business cards BUT the printer won’t work grrrrrr…….. Once Darryl got home we went to Casuarina and I got a new printer and – wallah - we are able to do as much printing as we like J :D I have printed off photos for Uncle Max of Woomera and some photos for Bradley to work out animal tracks and cloud formations and a few other things also. Have printed some more business cards too. [We found that the colour cartridge had fallen out of its holder and fouled the whole system].
Tuesday 29th May Today Darryl went to the RAAF Base to see if he could see Steve Crowe – only to find that he was no longer in Darwin – Bugger! There were other names in catering that he ‘remembered’ but none that said – here I am – come and see me. So he came back to the van and spent the afternoon reading and trying to play his Diablo 3 game. The internet connection here has been shocking…… Some days we have three to four bars and then others we have one. All the time the connection drops out and you have to re-connect. Grrr…..
Wednesday 30th May We had a lazy morning and then headed into town to meet Elaine and Rob, Greg and Carol at the Kitty O’Shea’s pub on the corner of Mitchell and Herbert streets for lunch.
2 Tiger helicopters over Darwin
Another lovely day and we had a fantastic lunch. Darryl had chicken parmajana that was about 20cm long and about 15cm wide, with chips and salad. I ordered a bowl of wedges with caramelised onion, bacon and melted cheese and it was such a huge bowl that I could not finish it – even when sharing it with others. We visited our friends until about 1.30 and then went for a walk along the bicentennial gardens on the esplanade. This incorporated the Cenotaph, remembrance walls and a memorial to the USS Peary which sank in WWII with guns blazing against the Japanese attack.
The Cenotaph
US Peary memorial - the gun is facing toward the resting place of the Peary.
We had a lovely walk and then drove out to Cullen Bay. There is a lot of works going on here as they are trying to save the bayside precinct – it is all reclaimed land and the suburb is sinking……… It seemed very congested and all the buildings down close to the water are having problems.
Mandorah Ferry Terminal
the Boat house
We then returned to the van and prepared to go and visit Peta and Eli before we left Darwin. We got to their home about an hour before Eli was in bed – was good to see him but the poor little mite has ANOTHER ear infection. We spent three hours with Peta which was great.
Thursday 31st May Darryl and I were due to leave today but we extended for another two nights as Max Davidson – Darryl’s Cousin – is due back in town from Mt Borradaile in Arnhemland.
The Mt Borradaile region in northern Arnhemland in the ‘Top End’ of the Northern Territory contains some of the most stunning rock paintings, not just in Australia, but in the whole world. In terms of artistic quality, quantity, colourfulness and excellent state of preservation, this body of rock art is unrivalled. Subjects range from now extinct animals to twentieth century sailing ships, and art techniques are equally varied. Visitors arriving by air or land are welcomed to the comfortable, well-appointed safari-style camp with all facilities, which includes hot and cold showers and toilets. Twin-share, airy tents each equipped with beds, 240-volt power outlets, fans, internal and external lighting are spaced in a wide semi-circular hub, a complex that incorporates briefing room, library, kitchen and dining room. The area of Arnhemland is a veritable treasure house of flora and fauna, many of its species are found nowhere else on earth. www.arnhemland-safaris.com Max was saying that they have just installed some permanent cabins as well.
We contacted Max just after lunch and then went around to his home and spent the next four hours talking to him and his ex-wife Kay. What a great time we had!!!!! We left them at about 5pm to return to the van, shower, change and take Buster for a walk before heading out to Christo’s Fish Café at Frances Bay for dinner.
Ahh Christo's
Lee, Darryl, Barb, Max and Kay
What a great venue and the food was excellent but the company was the greatest.
Friday 1st June Today we started to pack away things in preparation for our departure tomorrow. We did a quick trip to Casuarina and got a few things before going back to the van and saying farewell to Michael. He is going to the Casino this evening and then going fishing with John very early in the morning.
We just had a very quiet day but it was lovely to veg – not that we have had a frantic day BUT…… J
Saturday 2nd June It was 25 degrees at 7am and quite humid. It did not take us long to have the perspiration running down our necks and foreheads and anywhere else for that matter J Went over to hand in the key and pay for the electricity------ $31 for 16 days use. Back to the van and help Darryl finish hooking up the van and off we go – at 9am. We have said farewell to Carol and Cathy and will keep in contact via sms, email and phone calls.
We arrived in Katherine at 12.45pm and went straight to the park. We had to wait 15 minutes before we could join the queue getting in the entrance J We will be here for a week and due to pull out on the 9th June – Missy G’s birthday……… We have got a lovely shady spot with a paved annex pad. The sites are a bit tight but otherwise good. Lots of amenities blocks and laundries and free gas bbq’s. We went back into town to find our friend Dani who runs a stall at the markets – BUT the markets had finished L We drove to her house but there appeared to be no-one at home. We went to the shops and she wasn’t there so we went to McDonalds for a coffee and tried to phone her a couple of times L Went back to the van to wait J Tried to call again about 4pm but decided to go to the Hot Springs for a while. Whilst we were away buster was barking and whining L. We have worked out that if we leave the car - he barks; if we take the car he sits quietly waiting for our return…… Will have to find somewhere to leave the car when we go to the hot springs – or go one at a time…….. Not as much fun though.
When we returned it was to find that we had missed a call from Dani – so returned that call and we will see her tomorrow. YAY.
KATHERINE - 317 km South of Darwin with a population of around 11,000 people
The first people were the Jawoyn and Dagomen people who founded their culture around the Katherine River for its abundance of water and food. The first European to pass through this country was Ludwig Leichhardt in 1844 but it was John McDouall Stuart who on the 4th July 1862 named the Katherine River after the second daughter of his patron James Chambers. European settlement came with the completion of the overland Telegraph Line, when the telegraph was established at Knott's crossing. The town moved twice in its establishment and settled in its current location in 1926. Alfred Giles built Springvale Homestead in 1878 and laid the foundation for the cattle industry.
Today Katherine is the fourth largest town in the Northern Territory (NT) and welcomes 300,000 visitors each year.
The Katherine region stretches from Dunmarra in the south, to the Daly River region in the north. From east to west, we embrace both the Queensland and Western Australia borders and in total cover around 480,000 sq. kilometres.
Around Katherine you have Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge), Booroloola and the Gulf Region across the Roper River - Elsey National Park (We of the Never Never) Mataranka thermal pools [34 - 37 degrees], the magnificent scenery of the Victoria Falls Region, Pine Creek and the Douglas and Daly River Regions.
Katherine is located only a couple of hours from Kakadu, Litchfield and Gregory National Parks.
The GHAN operates two services through Katherine per week.
When active you will need to consume additional water - at least 2 litres of water per person per hour of activity.
Things to see in Katherine:- Nitmiluk National park, Leliyn (Edith Falls), Hot Springs [32 degrees], Cutta Cutta Caves, Springvale Homestead, School of the Air, Katherine Museum, The Ghan, and the Railway Station Museum on Railway Terrace.
Sunday 3rd June We awoke at about 7.30 as Buster needed – OUT J We then did a load of washing and then prepared to go into town and meet Dani at The Coffee Club. She was having a coffee with her friend Suzanne but we joined in and spent the next 2 ½ hours trying to catch up on 15 years of news J J What a great time but Dani was very tired L She had not had a good night with noisy neighbours and was feeling unwell. She is going to Darwin tomorrow [for work] and will return on Wednesday. We are going to go out to dinner on Friday and then have them around to our van on Saturday or Sunday for drinks. So looking forward to that……… Will be good to catch up with Brian also.
We were due to pull out on Saturday morning but have now extended our stay by two nights – so will leave on the 11th June – Mr Bradley’s 13th Birthday…….. Whoo hoo a TEENAGER!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment