Finally in Darwin

Hi Everyone

Well I'm now in Darwin and with my sister and brother-in-law. It is great to see them and we are seeing Darwin together.

After leaving Timber Creek I went to Katherine and stayed at Springvale Homestead. It was very nice there and I actually camped beside a Billabong. It was a non powered site and only cost $10. The next night I went to a Caravan park in Katherine, and had a powered site,( a bit of a comfort zone but am getting more confident in staying somewhere without power), which was $34!
Anyway it backed onto the Hot Springs area so that was an added bonus. The water temperature in these springs is 32 degrees, and NO I didn't go for a swim but lots of other people did.

I do plan to go back to Katherine on my way to Alice Springs and will visit Katherine Gorge which is now called something else, aboriginal of course.

From Katherine I went to Mary River which is at the south Entrance to Kakadu. I had arranged with Dennis ( well he suggested it) to meet there and I  would look after his dog so he could go into Kakadu for a day and then he'd look after my 2 so I could go. I must admit I did enjoy Kakadu but thought there would be more Gorges and other things to see. The Cultural Centre was great, as was the Rock Art. It was extremely hot and with all the walking was quite exhausting. You also had to pay a $25 entrance fee but no one ever checked that you had a ticket. The Caravan Park had no reception and I was on a unpowered site so all I could do was read my book.

There were some Aborigines living in the Caravan Park and were very friendly. Their house had a colourbond roof and the walls were made of wire mesh so you could actually see in at any time of the day or night. They did have a section that was screened off that I think was the bathroom as their bed was in view.

From Kakadu I went to Adelaide River but there was nothing there. Darwin was the next stop where I caught up with my sister and brother-in-law.

It was fantastic to see them and can you believe Flip cooked me a roast which is the first one I'd had in 5 months!! She cooked it in the Baby Q Bar B Que and it was delicious.

We are seeing Darwin together and it is so nice to have someone to share the sites with. It is 32 degrees and the nights are warm so the airconditioner is getting a lot of use.

 Billabong at Springvale Homestead

 Hot Springs at Katherine

 Signs at Amenities Block at bMary River

 Rock Art Kakadu

Part Of Kakadu

I tried to put a photo of thje wetlands at Kakadu but it wouldn't happen.

Hope everyone is well and hopefully I uodate again soon. There really isn't much here in Darwin.

Lots of  love

Jo, Kaiser, Chardy and Shiraz
xx     woof    woof           woof

Have reached Northern Territory

Hi Everyone

I'm sorry for the delay but I haven't had reception for a few days.

I saw a little bit of Derby and am pleased I didn't book in for 2 nights. I missed low tide so can't compare with high tide. The tides have been amazing up the west coast compared with the East.

Next stop was a free park and then Fitzroy Crossing, where I stayed at a Caravan Park on the Fitzroy River. The current in the river is quite strong so it is not advisable to go swimming.  I also did a tour of the Geike Gorge which was fantastic. The scenery and History were amazing. Saw quite a few Fresh Water Crocs which apparently aren't as aggressive as the Salty, I wasn't prepared to find out though. I also met Bob who is a 'native' and I was sucked into buying another carved Boab Fruit, I'll never learn! I also took his photo and he said that it costs $5!! He didn't get the $5. He was friendly and sits outside the Carvan Park every day. There are a lot of Aboriginies employed at the park.

Next was a couple more Free Parks as there is nothing at Halls Creek or Warmun ( Turkey Creek) so decided not to waste money staying there. I got to Kunanurra on Saturday 2nd. The caravan park is on a Lake and really is quite relaxing watching the birds and Monitor Lizards. I drove 100kms to Wyndham the next day and went to the  5 Rivers lookout which is self explanatory. Also took a photo of the Big Crocodile. I then drove back to Kunanuura. My great expense, here, was a flight to the Bungle Bungles, Lake Argyle and the Argyle Diamond Mine, well worth it. The Mine was enormous and the lease goes to 2020 but Rio Tinto aren't sure whether to extend. There is billions of dollars worth of Diamonds still to be mined so not sure why they wouldn't continue.

The Bungle Bungles are well worth a look at. You can go in, in 4WDs but I don't think you would get the same effect as from the air.

I stayed at Kunanurra for 3 nights and then went to Lake Argyle which is only an hour away. Lake Argyle is classed as an inland sea covering 1,000 square kms. It was formed by the damming of the Ord River and is Australia's largest body of fresh water. How's that for a history lesson!!

The caravan park has a swimming pool that overlooks part of the lake. I was talking to one couple who had a schnauzer and were travelling with another couple who had a poodle. When they found out that I clip my dogs, the people with the poodle were at my door asking me if I'd clip there dog, which I did. I asked them not to let anyone else know as I'm not a dog groomer.

Well I'm now in Timber Creek, NT. I had to put my watch forward 1 1/2 hrs, yesterday, which made my stay at the free park a short one. Tomorrow I head for Katherine

 

  Boab Prison Tree n Derby - 14.7 metres in diameter

 Geike Gorge

 Geike Gorge

 He might be a little out of focus - sorry

 My friend Bob!

 Bungle Bungles - part thereof

 Monitor

On Lake Argyle

View from pool at Caravan Park

Well that's it. Next Blog will probably be from Darwin. Hope everyone is well

Lots of Love

Jo, Kaiser, Chardy and Shiraz
xx    woof    woof          woof

Broome to Derby

Hi all

I left Broome yesterday after spending 5 pleasant days there. I must admit there is nothing there except for Cable Beach. You can go to other places but the tours cost a fair bit and the worth while ones involve Flying which is where the expense is. I did go for a swim at Cable Beach and I also went there to watch the sunset which was spectacular.

I met up with other people that I have met along the way which helped pass the time. The weather was fantastic 28 - 29 during the day and the nights were cool so great for sleeping. Apart from food shopping and washing there really wasn't much for me to do there.

Kaiser was good for 48hrs and then he was in discomfort again. Whilst walking I noticed a lump on hi side and looking closely I realised it was a tick. I don't know how long it had been there but it wasn't filled with blood but it was a reasonable size. I removed it and 24hrs later Kaiser was his normal self. This morning he was certainly in discomfort again so I'm not sure whether maybe he is getting spasms inhis lower back - just guessing as I don't know what his problem is.

We are now in Derby. I spent last night at a free park with quite a few other people so felt safe. I drove to the Information Centre and was succonded by one of the native locals ( if you know what I mean) who was wanting me to buy a carved Boab fruit, which of course I did, too scared not to!!! I have been advised that if I take the motorhome out of the caravan park, not to leave it unattended for long as when you come back the windows would've been smashed and wheels gone. Also if you hit one with the vehicle, don't stop just go straight to the police because the "locals"will stalk you. I'm only staying here 1 night as I can nsee most thing in less than a day.

Derby experiences some of the highest tides in the world. This afternoon I am walking to the wharf to have a look at low tide and then when I leave tomorrow I'll see the high tide. Tomorrow on my way out I will go and see the Boab Prison Tree which has a girth of 14.7 metres and is believed to be 1,500 years old!

I'm writing my blog now because I have reception but not sure when I'll have it again. I will be heading East through Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek then North East to Kunanurra then to Katherine in NT. Kunanurra is about 900kms from here.

Well obviously I haven't been as busy as in previous blogs but I'm still having a great time, relaxing.

Cable Beach at low tide. You can see the tide mark.

Sunset at Cable Beach

Obviously, camels at Cable Beach

                                                        Boab Tree

I call this the poor mans beach as this is on the opposite side to Cable Beach and very close to where I was staying. There is sand down near the trees and to the left of the rock!

Well that's it. Hope this finds you all well. Not sure when I'll next beable to blog.

Lots of Love

Jo, Kaiser, Chardy and Shiraz

xx     woof     woof        woof

 Sorry about the photos being first but I was having trouble getting them on - sorry

 On the way to Marble Bar

Jasper before it has been wet

Jasper after it has been wet

Yes I was there!! This is at Marble Pool near the Jasper

Chinaman Pool

Hope it won't be too long before my next blog

Point Samson to Port Smith

Hi Everyone

I'm sorry for the delay but I have been out of reception for quite some days. I stayed at Point Samson till last Monday and the wind did not let up. I'm sure it is a lovely spot, and it was when the wind died down in the afternoon, but the mornings were terrible.

From there I headed north and planned to stay at a free park but when I got there I would've been the first one and I'd prefer to have others there first. I travelled on to South Hedland, which is 20kms south of Port Hedland as there was adog friendly caravan park there. I must admit I would've been better off risking staying at the free park as this park was pretty ordinary and they charged $40!!

Next stop was Marble Bar and even though I had to travel 150kms of the north route it was really worth it. I went to the Marble pool which was full of Jasper. This was mistakenly thought to be Marble hence the name Marble Bar. In it's dry state there is not much colour but once you put water on it, the colours are spectacular. The water, in the pool was quite warm but I didn't go swimming either did anyone else whilst I was there.

I stayed there 1 night and on the way back, on the same road that I went in on, I called into Dooleena Gorge which was off the beaten track.

My next stop was Pardoo Station which was about 240kms away, 13kms of that was down a red dirt road with some corrugation. It was a nice spot and as they were in the middle of mustering there was a fair bit of action. They use helicopters and Suzuki Vitaras ( 4WD) to muster and they employ backpackers to help out. The cattle were put into holding yards which was not far from 'us' campers and as the mums were seperated from their calves it got a bit noisy. Anyway I still got enough sleep. They had a bonfire each night and there were an older couple who entertained us with their country and music songs, but were only there for 3 nights, thank goodness!!

Next was Port Smith where I planned to stay 1 week on, recommendation of another camper. Well I had to travel down 23kms of red dirt road and when I got there there wasn't a whole lot there. Luckily I didn't pay for 1 week instead paid for 3 nights. There is a Lagoon there which is one of the highlights. The tides are quite diverse if that is the right word. High tide is up to the carpark and low tide is quite a long way from there. I'd say I walked through soft grey sludge for 300 - 400 mtres before I got to the water. The dogs loved it, especially Chardy who just ran ( I should say trudged ) for ever. She did sleep well.

Port Smith is great for fishing and the number of people who were there, from all states, was amazing. Mind you the only conversation was fishing so we didn't have much in common. Unfortunately, the second day I hurt Kaiser somehow and he was not a happy fellow. He would still eat and walk, slowly, but couldn't jump into the Motorhome and whenever I lifted him he would yelp. I decided to leave Port Smith a day early ( no you don't get a refund ) and take him to a vet in Broome.  There was no phone, internet or TV reception so I wasn't sorry to go and also I had been bitten by midges so am now covered in bites.

I 'm now in Broome and after taking Kaiser to the Vet have settled into an overflow caravan park which allows dogs ( all other caravan parks don't allow dogs). The Vet said there was nothing seriously wrong with Kaiser and has put him on anti inflammatories. I'm not sure how long I plan to stay here but it'll be a least a couple of days.

I'm having a problem with putting photos on so I'll finish off and perhaps send photos seperately

Hope this finds everyone well.

Lots of  Love

Jo, Kaiser, Chardy and Shiraz
xx     woof     woof       woof

Yardie Homstead Caravan Park to Point Samson

Hi Everyone

Well my last week hasn't been as exciting as the week before but I think it would be very difficult to top the swim with the Whale Sharks. I did go snorkelling again at a place called Oyster Stack and you had to be there at high tide. Once again my neighbours took me and it was just as good if not better than Turquoise Bay. The fish were bigger and the coral more colourful. I saw a sea snake and a spotted stingray plus the usual colourful fish. We also went to Lakeside which is also great for snorkelling.

Friday I left Exmouth. One neighbour put my antenna down and said that would be safe. Well I drove up to the lighthouse to take some photos and was told the antenna was up. Shit I said. Anyway one of the guys put his 4WD next to my motorhome and climbed up on the roof and tied it down for me. People are so nice and nothing is too much trouble. Called into the vet to get the "husher" muzzle for Kaiser, which we tried on and of course he wasn't impressed. Hopefully it will work.

Drove to Barradale which is a free park. There is nothing there and it is out in the open with very few trees. There were toilets but not your normal toilet, more a modern "can" type toilet. Spent the night there and as there is no power I needed to put the fridge on gas and luckily the lights run on battery. There was no phone reception.

The next day I drove to Onslow which is on the coast. I had to go 80kms from the main highway. Onslow is a tiny town but the caravan park is on the foreshore. It costs $35 per nite so I only stayed 1 night. The weather wasn't the best so I didn't see Onslow at its best. Next day I drove to the Robe River which is another free parking area but a beautiful spot on the banks of the river. Unfortunately it started to rain and didn't stop all night. I would've loved to have stayed another nite but because of the rain it wasn't worth it. There was one lady there in a 5th Wheeler. Her partner pulls it with a ' Chevy'  but forgot to take it out of 4WD mode when he got onto the main highway. Apparently, with a Chevy, you can't drive on a normal road in 4WD so consiquently he had wrecked the gearbox and differential and being an American car they have to get parts from the USA. She has no idea how long that will take so they are stuck there. They have been travelling for 11 years and do relief work at National Parks and where ever they are needed.

I then drove to Karratha only to find out that no caravan parks are dog friendly. I then drove here and it really is a nice place on the beach. There is Honeymoon Cove here but I don't think I need to go there, not yet anyway!!! Point Samson is 60kms north of Karratha and there isn't much here, in the way of shops and things. I'm staying 1 week so hopefully the weather will improve, not that it has been bad, a bit windy and overcast.

There is a guy here who has ridden his motorbike from Warwick, Qld! He went to Exmouth for a Ulysses Club get together and it apparently rained the whole time. I think I heard that they had had 5 inches of rain in a couple of days! that was after I left.

Well that's it, sorry it's not as newsy.

Oyster Stack - the dark areas in the water are the coral

 Robe River - free parking

Some visitors at Robe River

Part of the main road that has been destroyed by rain

A Gas Station ,in the middle of nowhere, near Karratha. Karratha is filled with mine workers and there is not much there.

Hope everyone is well. I'm heading to Port Hedland but there isn't anything there so won't be staying . Till next time

Lots of Love

jo, Kaiser, Chardy and Shiraz

xx     woof     woof          woof

Exmouth

Hi Everyone

I know it hasn't been that long since I wrote my blog but I have to tell you about my swim with the Whale Sharks. Before I did that my neighbours, here, took me to Turquoise Bay for some snorkelling. It was an amazing experience and the tropical fish were unbelievable. People say the coral isn't as colourful as The Great Barrier Reef but I'm sure there are more fish. The water is crystal clear and pretty warm. You swim to one end of the bay and then you drift ( with the current) to the other end - fantastic. We were there for only 1 1/2 hrs but I must admit I could've stayed for a lot longer.

On Monday I went on a tour to swim with the Whale Sharks. I was picked up at the caravan park at 8am. and we went to the bay where the boats are waiting. There are lots of tour companies who do this and at $375 each and each boat can take up to 20 people it is a big money maker. I know they have lots of expenses. We stayed in the lagoon for a snorkel before venturing out past the reef to swim with the whale sharks. The snorkelling, again, was fantastic. The coral is larger than at Turquoise Bay and there are just as many fish and sting rays.

After snorkelling for a while we then went to deeper water. The tour companies have spotter planes ( a big expense I'm sure)  looking for the whale sharks and we were lucky enough to find one just outside the reef. There are 15 tourists on this boat and we are split into 2 groups. When the time is right we jump into the water and follow the guide who tries to keep us under control. The first Whale Shark was about 6 metres in length and was just "dawdling" along so we could keep up with it for quite some time. Then its group 2's turn and we get back on the boat, which for me was not that easy, being a small whale myself .You have to climb on the back platform but few of us needed a helping hand, I now have quite a sore upper arm. Anyway, a little further on it's time to get into the water again but this gentle giant was a little faster so it was harder to keep up.

We did this about 6 times and it really is an amazing experience. One whale shark was swimming along the floor of the ocean and we were swimming above it. The water is so clear you could see for about 30 mtres. It then decided to head for the surface by just using it's gigantic tail but it looked like it was in slow motion.We had to get out of the way because you have to be at least 3 metres away. Unfortunately I don't have an underwater camera and I could've bought a video for $60 but I probably would never look at it. Anyway I'll always remember it. We also went swimming with a manta ray but it was more scared of us than we of it. Another graceful creature of the sea.

After lunch we went back into the lagoon for another snorkel, what a way to end an absolutely unbelievable day. I got back to the Caravan Park at 3.30pm so it was a full day.

Yesterday I went into Exmouth to do some shopping and fill up the motorhome with decent water. (It's bore water here at the park) Unfortunately I forgot to lower my TV aerial and a tree branch has damaged it. Not sure how much as I have to get a ladder to have a look. The TV still works, only just, but I can't wind the aerial up or down and at the moment it is 1/4 way up. That is my chore for today and hopefully there is not too much damage on the roof.

Turquoise Bay

poor attempt at taking photo of Whale Shark - it's in the middle

Termite Hill which, apparently, is tiny compared with ones in Northern Territory

Part of the national park opposite Turquoise Bay

Well that's about it. Hope this finds everyone in good health.

Not sure where I'll be going after I leave here on Friday but it will be towards Karratha.

Lots of Love

Jo, Kaiser, Chardy and Shiraz

xx     woof    woof         woof