Fannie Bay Gaol - Cullen Bay, Darwin

Tony decided to lock me away in the cell at Fannie Bay Goal!   I think travelling together in the van has finally got to him

So they locked him away in a cell to think about what he had done !

 Evidently 2 European men were the last people to be hung here for the murder of a taxi driver in 1952, but sorry Rochelle & Nikki, they have changed their minds & Dad was the last one.....

We spent our last night in Darwin catching up with friends Karen & Mark (Melb) Norma & Bob (SA) at beautiful Cullen Bay for dinner

Now off to Kakadu ........

Darwin

 Before I start with Darwin I forgot to mention Tony is the proud owner of a Didjeridoo.   He has 3.5 months to learn so watch out Adelaide when we return.    We have some very weird sounds coming from our caravan so far!!   Joe, you had better practice before we get back!

We have now left the waterholes & gorges for warm, sunny Darwin & after hearing rumours that our caravan park was used for emergency housing for the "local folk" we were pleasantly surprised to see the Caravan Park was for tourist only!   The wave pool above looked very inviting & is very popular here because of the stingers and crocodiles in the magnificant bays.

After a brief talk by the guide we entered the "World War II Oil Tunnels" much to my horror!    I get a little claustrophobic these days & the smell & dampness from the seeping water in the tunnels was not good.  Interesting walking along looking at all the war photos & history of Darwin, but was glad to be turning around heading back out the tunnel to the fresh air!

Tony checking out the cannon at the Military Museum.  He hasn't been himself this week.  Has been swimming in too many thermal pools & swimming pools and has picked up a viral infection, but I don't think this is the way to cure it!

Couldn't believe it when  I got a text from Sue Warburton saying she was in Darwin.  Here we are "the three Sue's" having coffee at Cullen Bay in Darwin.  Tony did join us but he was on the other end of the camera!

 Finally I get my Barra  & Chips on the Wharf Precinct.   Beautiful sitting out on the wharf with at least 100 other people on a hot balmy night listening to music & who should walk passed us - Sue Warby again & Sue & Rod but they were heading to the Restaurant for a more elite meal!

Mindel Beach Sunset at the markets. .... 100's of people lined the beach to see the sunset then wander through the stalls & I lost count how many food stalls there were to chose from for dinner.  Lots of bands & entertainment to listen to as well.

Litchfield National Park - Berry Springs

Our Camp site near Litchfield National Park was again in a dust bowl, but had a lot of shade from the palm trees.  With the heat at 33 deg most days we are starting to need shade.   However, our friends we have met from Melbourne (Karen & Mark) managed a beautiful green oasis over the other side of the park with a beautiful garden and plenty of shade.  I am starting to feel like I am living in dirt & look forward to a nice grass site soon.

These large magnetic terminte mounds are dotted all over the country side & can withstand floods, sun & all sorts of weather.

I am overlooking the lovely Florence Falls.   If you are keen to walk down 450 steps and back up again you can cool off in the rockpool below.   As we were already exhausted we decided to swim at Buley Rockpool (which is only a 200 m walk) 

It is school holidays in NT for 4 weeks so the rockpool was packed with families on holidays.   Great picnic area and lots of small cascades..

The photo's above & below are of the beautiful Wangi Falls.   Generally this is a swimming aea but is still closed because of the crocodiles!

Who would have thought I would run into 3 girls I used to work with in Speech Pathology at Wangi Falls......Sam, Sue Mac. me & Stephanie.

  

Greenant Walk was shaded with palms so the walk up to the rock pool was quite easy. We were able to swim here & sit at the top of the waterfall.  Just behind where I am standing is a waterfall with a 40m drop!!!  

 After finding out all the local knowledge from the "experts" in the park we headed off to Mandorah Pier with Mark & Karen to try our luck at fishing!  After a very long afternoon being entertained by the locals going backwards & forwards on the ferry to get their supplies from Darwin, this is all they had to show!!!     We didn't get to see the "huge one" that got away, but it did nearly take Tonys line, bait & rod as we were packing up!!!
  

Karen & I were pleased to finally get to the Pub at Mandorah and have a cool wine!!!   Great Barra burgers here for dinner overlooking the ocean, watching the sunset & the lights of Darwin.

Berry Springs warm thermal pools were a great way to spend the afternoon.   It was Territory Day today so there were a lot of picnicners in the park & pool & hundreds of noodles!!   Tiny shrimp nibble on your toes if you stand still for too long & lucky I didn't see the large fish swimming in there until I got out!   No fishing here tho!

The local school in Berry Springs put on a fantastic fireworks display.    On Territory Day you can buy as many firecrackers as you like & the locals set them off before the professional display.   The safety standards here are quite different to SA, we had to duck a few times!!  It was quite spectacular to see sitting in 28 deg sipping on a wine! 

Mataranka - Katherine Gorge - Edith Falls

Finally we stay put for a few days in Mataranka so I can do the washing.... yes, unfortunately there are still chores to be done!

Tony ready for a snorkel down the river.   Beautiful thermal springs here at Mataranka.... only 200m walk down the road from our camp to a small oasis.   The river is so clear here he could see fish, lillies growing on the bed of the river & other interesting species which I was glad I couldn't see!

Noodles up the Top End are very popular for floating in rivers & thermal pools.   That will be my next purchase is Darwin....   We put a deposit on a noodle at the park and floated down the thermal river.  When you reach the end of the river there is a path to walk back & then float down again.  The current is too strong for most poeple to try and come back up.  The water is so warm it was very easy to spend a few hours just "bobbing" & talking before heading back for a happy hour drink....

Our camp at Nitmiluk National Park in Katherine Gorge.  We are travelling with a couple we met at Mataranka for awhile so have set up camp opposite each other.

The moutain goat in this picture managed to climb up to the Katherine Gorge Lookout in 30 deg + heat.    Tony wanted me to stand a little closer to the edge for this photo - I am still not sure why!   My hiking stick has been fantastic in helping me up & down stairs & rocks & Tony has taken charge of the other stick!

If you look closely at this picture you will see the millions of bats hanging in the trees during the day & night.  The smell was squite disgusting in parts of Katherine Gorge & the awning needed a wash before we left here!   Still a great place to stay. 

We decided to take a 4 hour cruise down Katherine Gorge to see 3 different gorges.    The gorges were truly spectacular & managed to see a few crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks.  We had to change boats at each gorge & the walks in between were quite interesting.   Some aboriginal artwork & beautiful boardwalks.

At the last gorge we arrived at Lilly Ponds where we were able to swim in the waterhole or stand under the waterfall.   Tony swam but this waterhole was like ice!!!   Lovely spot to have our lunch  & then cruise back to camp.

Beautiful Katherine Gorge - walking back to our boat   Tony disappointed he couldn't put the kayak in here.   Because of the late wet season there are still too many crocodiles around.
They hang buoys from the trees with rope & if there are bite marks on it there are still crocodiles around!

Our camp site was interesting here at Edith Falls.   Felt like we had been parked on the side of a dirt road.  No water, no power.

As we arrived at Edith Falls at lunch time, we set up camp and headed off for a 3 km walk up to Upper Falls (which I have to say is all up hill) & as you can see from this photo it is very hot walking and not much shade (32 deg)    Tony nearly had to use his hiking stick as a cattle prod to get me up the hill.   I am finding the heat a little overwhelming at times!

However, the reward at the top was fantastic.   If you managed not to slip or fall on the rocks it was great to cool of in the rock pools up there.  BUT, there was more uphill trekking over rocks to get back to camp!    At the bottom of this walk there is also a plunge rock pool in the Caravan Park where you can cool of as well.  I have never swum so much!!

Devils Marbles - Banka Banka - Daly Waters

See if you can spot our car & van at Devil's Marbles.   Cost was $7/night.   Camp was a dust bowl but the views were sensational of the great boulders that look like marbles. We could have stayed here for 2 nights easily.  The kayak has definitely looked out of place thru Central Australia!

As you can see some of the "marbles" started to fall towards camp but I managed to stop this one!!

Tony's first fire for the triip at Devil's Marbles....   having Happy Hour with friends we met in Alice Springs.. Later we cooked our loin chops on the open fire for dinner.   As we were packing up to go inside for the night a dingo walked passed our camp twice looking for food & at 2am the whole pack starting howling to each other.   The "Loo" was officially christened with "No 2's" here as it was too scary to go outside & the dump toilet was disgusting.........& no, Tony didn't make me empty it (this time)!

 Banka Banka is a great stopover. Beautiful green oval & our site was in the middle under shade so we were able to observe the other campers! We ventured up to the communal camp fire with our wine after tea & chatted to other tourists heading in the same direction.... a lot of whom we seem to keep meeting up with!

Finally time for some R & R at Banka Banka - yeh!!!

 

Daly Waters Pub is a must stopover.... Another dust bowl with a few trees (lucky we had one as it is starting to get quite hot during the day).    The photo above is the "Reecepshun" where you book your site.   Menu at the Pub was  Barra & Steak, Steak & Barra or Steak or Barra.   The meals were very good tho & the  entertainment was great - guitar/singer, funny story teller & the owners son who had just returned from Afghanastan sang 4 songs as well.  

Nikki, this photo is for you to have a look at.  If you look closely at the bib left in the Pub on the top right hand side, has the name "Bean" written on it!

We spent some time wandering around looking at the memorabilia people have left there, from nickers, jocks, bras to money & business cards & then a must have wine at the bar before dinner!   We didn't recognise anyone's jocks, nickers or bras!  If anyone is thinking of visiting this Pub in the near future.... see if you can see ours!



Woomera - Coober Pedy - Alice Springs

After Tony's expertese in spreadsheets & planning 127 days holiday our Itinery changed on day 1....   here we are after a very long day travelling at the Cudgee Bar in the Woomera Caravan Park. Stayed chatting for 2.5 hours with the locals, tourist and manager of the van park.   Think we have settled into travelling already!

Didgeridoo Cafe was an underground coffee shop in Coober Pedy so thought we would give it a go!    After a misunderstanding about wanting to use the toilet before we ordered, we finally ordered a coffee.   This turned out to be the most expensive we have bought $6.50 a cup.   The cafe also had Didgeridoos for sale and opals & as people walked into the shop he turned the lights on & then turned them off when they left so we sat in the dark having our expensive coffee.    1 hour later I bought a paper for Tony to read & later having lunch back at the van realised we had bought yesterdays paper!   I think they all saw us coming, but we are getting better!

Tony thought he would try and play the Didjeridoo..... we thought we deserved it after paying $13 for our coffees, but they were so exspensive here....  up to $1000!!     Tony is looking for something to play around the fire at night!

Spent a day walking around the beautiful Sampson Gap, Serpentine Gorge and Stanley Chasm which were all just out of Alice Springs.    The first photo above is of Sampson Gap.

Stanley Chasm was beautiful but were a little late to see the sun between the gap.   We stayed for a picnic lunch here & met up with a couple in a motohome.   There were mice everywhere here (although we haven't been bothered by them until now!).    One of the mice climbed up the lady's leg while she was eating lunch, so  I was sat on top of the picnic table
so they couldn't get to me!

Alice Springs was very cold at night (0 deg) but the days were sunny & mild.   The electric blanket we bought for this trip has been worth its weight in gold until we camped without power (the hot water bottles had to come out!)