In honour of Bathurst

We are V8 followers here in our caravan. So today the air con is on and the Bathurst 1000 race is on the telly.

 

Over the years K has taken almost every car we own around the Bathurst track. Under the speed limit of course. Although he has each of our XR6 to very high speeds on the speed unlimited section of the Stuart Highway.

All of our XR6 sports cars have done the trip. The old XC Falcon and our Ranger ute.


Many of the trips were towing a camper or a trailer. Haven't taken the caravan. I think maybe even for K that might be a bit over the top.

back to the race.


Cheers Sue
A Ferg on the Move    

Crazy things tourists do: rockpiles, termite mounds and flip flop trees

I spent some time flipping through files today and came across these photos from Karajini National Park near Mount Tom Price in the Hamersley Ranges of WA.

Someone started a pile of rocks. Someone added to it and then it becomes a way to add your tag to a place. Sadly we do see paint tags at various sights as we travel. I rather like these little rock villages however. Sort of like prehistoric LEGO/ 

Up and down the  Stuart highway tourists are creating termite mound people. My own old shirts get snaffled by an indigenous co-worker who likes my style and has been known to help me shop for things she can inherit next season, but some folk are quite clever at dressing these strange lumps. This one was at Banka Banka. I think it is famous enough to be in a few websites.

Another time honoured Australian tourist activity is the thong (flip flop footwear not unmentionables) tree. Or the beer can tree.  Or the work boot and/or sneaker tree.

 

Now I was always taught  to take my rubbish with me so I'm turning my disapproving nose up at the last couple of ideas.

 

But I did like the little rock villages. Especially the high rise ones.

Cheers Sue


A Ferg on the Move.

Why the NT?

Whilst recovering here in Darwin from my operation and health scare I have been reflecting on what it is about the northern part of the Northern Territory that has made it so attractive as a work base for us. Besides work being easy to find and being able to live frugally that is.

Sunset in the NT

The weather, particular in the dry season is just perfect. Warm to hot days, cooler evenings and nights cool enough for a doona. The annex becomes an extension of our living space. I love to sit outside, with my feet up of course, on one of our camp lounges and read, or watch TV with a drink. Or crochet and watch the tourists bustle in and set up.

Untamed creek and bright green leaves

Great entertainment can be had watching the new comers each night. I wonder how relationships survive the process of parking a caravan. "Left, right, closer to or further away from the edge, level , not level"
I of course am much too well trained to presume to give K advise about backing the van.

Swimming is my preferred exercise, and we have really good croc free swimming holes. Beautiful pools, no work to maintain them and access any time. Being of somewhat larger proportions I have always found swimming pools and beaches very intimidating. Here in the tourist season looks don't matter. And a pair of shorts and a top is about as fancy as it gets. That's my kind of swimming togs.

Katherine Hot Springs

The colours. Everything up here has a sharpness. Nothing gentle. Bright vivid red, orange and brown. Crisp deep green and bright yellow.


Yellow and Green NT

NT Red road

The people. Generous and interesting characters. Capable and unflappable, unpretentious and down right nice, even if they can put away enough alcohol to pickle most normal humans night after night. As a cheap drunk who is officially tipsy after a glass and a half I am a very strange bird to them.

They have an uncanny ability to make a home out of just about anything. A van, a shed or just a carport gets tricked up into a dwelling in no time. We fit right in of course.


The kids. Everywhere I go now, "Miss Sue." Or "I saw Mr K at your camp." Incredibly loving and cheerful kids despite a disadvantaged life. Whatever your views of the system, and there's no easy solution, you'd have to love the kids.


I love every bit of our country. Love to visit the snow, settle in by the Murray river, holiday with the grandkids on the coast, visit the cities briefly, but the NT has got into my blood. I guess one day soon we might settle for work somewhere else. That is the idea of being mobile after all but NT will always be special.

In the meantime you might like to know that we had our first build up down pour here in Darwin last night. Hard enough to hurt my hand as it hit. Oh and I found a hairdresser... Luxury.

First Darwin rain clouds

Life is especially good today.


Cheers Sue


A Ferg on the Move



Not a great couple of weeks

This last couple of weeks has been a bit of a trial. I debated whether to blog this or not. But I guess the good and the bad make the whole picture. So not for sympathy, but because remote travel has some risks. Here goes.



Two weeks ago as K was packing up to go to Rathmines near Newcastle I noticed three insect bites under my left arm. Not a welcome sight as I blow up into large boil like lumps from mosquito stings. I have layers of scars on my legs as proof. Generally I disinfect the skin and cover and if I resist the urge to scratch they pop a blister and go down. Two bites did. One didn't.


So for nearly a week I was treated at our wonderful clinic in our tiny town with intravenous antibiotics while we got the lump down from what looked like a third breast under my arm to a size they could operate on to drain and clean.

I was not very cooperative under anaesthetic coughed, aspirated, got air into the plural cavity, had to be evacuated by plane to Darwin. Went to sleep in Katherine 2pm Thursday, woke up in Darwin Friday mid morning. Missed the whole show. Well I'm not known for doing things by halves.


It's funny what your brain does.   I'm coming to, trying not to panic as they pull the biggest tube out of my mouth and there is a man saying, "Get her glasses on. Her sister says she will panic if she can't see". My head goes "Sister? Must be in Darwin." Cos my little big sister lives in Darwin now.


So they transported me 118 km to Katherine, flew me 380km to Darwin, looked after me in ICU, have me in outpatient accommodation this week so I can get the wounds dressed.... I have a hole where the bite was and a tube hole that went into the lung on the other side. They have cared for me, rung my husband daily, supplied my drugs and wiped my tears. And they are gonna get me nearly 500 km home at the end of the week.
Both hospitals were brilliant. Try getting that kind of care in some other countries.


Oh and I am ok.
But if you live or travel remote the possibility of something going wrong has to be faced squarely.


No pictures of the lump either......



Cheers Sue
A Ferg on the Move
 

Travel memories. Devil's Marbles NT

Devil's Marbles are probably one of the most photographed formations in the NT. The usual colours are red and orange with a bright blue sky. This particular trip up here was in June and the weather had been very, very cold. 9 degrees under the canopy at the United in Tennant Creek at lunch time. The locals looked a bit shell shocked.

It was drizzling and for once the camp area was not full. We camped over night and got up early to catch the sunrise. Can't find those photos, but these show the Marbles in greens and soft purples.
There was a bloke camped next to us who had the best outback fire and oven setup that he made himself. It folded up for travel but had a fire box with an oven space and a grill for the kettle.  Made the best scones for beer o'clock. Hope you enjoy the photos.

Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move

Devil's marbles looking up along one of the paths

The grasses grow very tall.

The marble like formation spread across the plain for quite a few km.

Spectacular view across the plain between the rocks

The Marbles are all different shapes and sizes

The classic Devil's Marbles photo.
You can see the car park and camping area below.

Travel memories: Edith Falls

Edith Falls is another place we love. The Aboriginal name is Leliyn and it you get it by turning off the Stuart Highway 42km north of Katherine then following a sealed road for 19km. It is close enough for us to do a day trip or short weekend camp.

There is large pool at the campground. Over the years floods have changed the topography of the pond as debris picked up in the wet drops over the waterfall and builds up in the shallow part in the middle. I love to swim here but its too cold for K. At night in the season the rangers give talks about the wildlife and local history.

The cane toads have had a devastating impact on the native animals and reptiles which is very sad. Humans are banned from the water after 7pm to give the locals a quiet night but if you go down after dark with torch the eyes of the various animals, reptiles and fish can be spotted reflected in its beam. K can spend hours doing just that at night.

 Like every where spectacular, and I think K picks these places because of my fear of heights,  there's a climb up  to and down from another set of most beautiful swimming holes. But look at the view.

Great place to spend a hot day.


 Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move.

NT Fireworks

 

I was just watching the Sunsuper Riverfire  fireworks display from Brisbane. Very impressive .

I felt compelled to compete in some way by showing you the fireworks at Mataranka Homestead on Territory Day.

Here in the NT on July 1st you can buy fireworks in the morning from 9 am. They have to be used up that day, although for a few weeks after it is not unusual to hear bangs late at night.

We have a family night in town and then out here later all the tourists get to set off their purchases.

Reminds me of my childhood.


Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move