Anyway, this picture was taken while we waited for the men to go to the shop for our dinner and because I didn't have another picture to put with this story, I've decided to tell this boring story.
Beautiful spot though....dont you think?
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Nightcliff Rocks
The night before the wedding we all (groom's family) decided to go to Nightcliff and have fish and chips on the seashore for a casual get together dinner. The redeeming feature of that idea was the sunset. The WORST fish and chips I've ever eaten. I mistakenly thought we were in for a treat as my son, daughter-in-law and family had lived in Darwin for 20 years prior to moving to Canberra about 2 years ago, I thought they knew all the "good" eating spots, well maybe it was OK once, but not any longer. We wont hold it against them. lol.
Anyway, this picture was taken while we waited for the men to go to the shop for our dinner and because I didn't have another picture to put with this story, I've decided to tell this boring story.
Beautiful spot though....dont you think?
Anyway, this picture was taken while we waited for the men to go to the shop for our dinner and because I didn't have another picture to put with this story, I've decided to tell this boring story.
Beautiful spot though....dont you think?
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Its a long way home
There doesn't seem to be much to look at but the long road ahead, it seems like you're never going to get there. The Outback looks very green at the moment, there has been a LOT of rain. The spinifex however doesn't look green, when it "flowers" this plant has long silvery yellow spikes. I love to look at a great expanse of spinifex on awindy day it looks live a white wavy sea.
It shows where more rain has fallen by the change in the "greenness" of the native shrubbery growing by the roadside. This second picture was taken nearer to Pt. Augusta. There is no change in the height of the bushes though, for about 100km. it appears to be no taller than about 12 inches. Did someone come along with a whipper-snipper and trim it all? (In my thoughts) The only variation is where the terrain is lower and the water runs off, the few straggly trees grow.
First sign of the Flinders Ranges in the distance tells me we are nearly in Pt. Augusta which sits at the top of Spencer Gulf, only about 350 kms. to go and we are home.
It shows where more rain has fallen by the change in the "greenness" of the native shrubbery growing by the roadside. This second picture was taken nearer to Pt. Augusta. There is no change in the height of the bushes though, for about 100km. it appears to be no taller than about 12 inches. Did someone come along with a whipper-snipper and trim it all? (In my thoughts) The only variation is where the terrain is lower and the water runs off, the few straggly trees grow.
First sign of the Flinders Ranges in the distance tells me we are nearly in Pt. Augusta which sits at the top of Spencer Gulf, only about 350 kms. to go and we are home.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
On the way home.........
........we paid a visit to this little roadside store. We were told that the Mango champagne is delicious. Thinking that Christmas is only 6 months away we bought some (along with a few others or 6) and it is now safely stored away til then. No, this very happy chappie did NOT need the sack truck to transport it to our car lol.
This marker shows the spot where the Tropic of Capricorn passes through this area, 40 kms north of Alice Springs. A popular rest spot for travellers, there is a caravan park complete with the old style long-drop "rest rooms". lol
last but not least, here is a couple of the notice boards at this site. I hope that they are clear enough to read.
This marker shows the spot where the Tropic of Capricorn passes through this area, 40 kms north of Alice Springs. A popular rest spot for travellers, there is a caravan park complete with the old style long-drop "rest rooms". lol
last but not least, here is a couple of the notice boards at this site. I hope that they are clear enough to read.
Friday, July 8, 2011
The day before the wedding
All the close relatives of the bride and groom met at the Casino for breakfast, a "get to know each other" meeting. I will introduce you to some of us. (lol)
The first one is the brides family, Mother of the bride Vivienne, Sarah and Stephen, (bride and groom) and Sarah's dad David.
Next is the groom's side Tony (my son) and his lovely wife Jen with Stephen and Sarah. These pictures are at the casino poolside. Notice how the Darwinites are wearing long sleeves and cardigans? They think this glorious weather is cold !!
Then there is Us with The bride and groom. All we seemed to do during this stay was EAT. At the wedding there was 2 receptions, one in the morning after the ceremony and one in the evening at a resturaunt called Hanuman, oooh yum-yum !!
Next shot inside the casino at breakfast, after all that's what we went there for. All told there was about 20 people at this early morning meeting, Sarah's grandparents had traveled all the way from Tasmania.
The first one is the brides family, Mother of the bride Vivienne, Sarah and Stephen, (bride and groom) and Sarah's dad David.
Next is the groom's side Tony (my son) and his lovely wife Jen with Stephen and Sarah. These pictures are at the casino poolside. Notice how the Darwinites are wearing long sleeves and cardigans? They think this glorious weather is cold !!
Then there is Us with The bride and groom. All we seemed to do during this stay was EAT. At the wedding there was 2 receptions, one in the morning after the ceremony and one in the evening at a resturaunt called Hanuman, oooh yum-yum !!
Next shot inside the casino at breakfast, after all that's what we went there for. All told there was about 20 people at this early morning meeting, Sarah's grandparents had traveled all the way from Tasmania.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Mindal Beach
One of the high lights of our trip to Darwin was a trip to Mindal Beach where many people gather on the shore of Darwin Harbour to watch the sunset. Some also take cruises on one of the many yachts offering dinner and sunset sights.
Mindal Market is held on Thursday night and Sunday afternoon during the "dry" season. It seems as if half the population of Darwin was there on this Thursday. It is a popular place to buy dinner from one of the many stalls offering different types of fast food, from hot potatoes to Thai, Dutch pancakes, or other Asian food to take to the beach and wait for the sunset. One of my favourite things to have whenever I visit Mindal is a mango and orange smoothie, made with fresh fruit, yum-yum.
The place comes alive after dark, fire dancers, whip cracking and Digeridoo players all busking in their alloted space. The air seems to pulse with the exciting displays of music and the clapping from the crowds, while the stall holders sell all types of craft, beads, handbags or bric-a-brac.
If you click to make the pictures larger you will be able to see the small small fishing boat (in this last one) The water of Darwin Harbour is like a mill-pond because it protected from the open sea by the bay.
A beautiful place.
Mindal Market is held on Thursday night and Sunday afternoon during the "dry" season. It seems as if half the population of Darwin was there on this Thursday. It is a popular place to buy dinner from one of the many stalls offering different types of fast food, from hot potatoes to Thai, Dutch pancakes, or other Asian food to take to the beach and wait for the sunset. One of my favourite things to have whenever I visit Mindal is a mango and orange smoothie, made with fresh fruit, yum-yum.
The place comes alive after dark, fire dancers, whip cracking and Digeridoo players all busking in their alloted space. The air seems to pulse with the exciting displays of music and the clapping from the crowds, while the stall holders sell all types of craft, beads, handbags or bric-a-brac.
If you click to make the pictures larger you will be able to see the small small fishing boat (in this last one) The water of Darwin Harbour is like a mill-pond because it protected from the open sea by the bay.
A beautiful place.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Katherine Gorge.
This beautiful place is known to the indigenous people of Australia as Nitmiluk. Sorry, but my pictures do not do this beautiful spot justice.
In this second picture you will see a small waterfall
We were taken by boat through this gorge with about 60 other people and entertained by two of the traditional owners of the region, the Jawoyn people. They told the dreamtime stories about the gorge and the meaning of the names. A pleasant and sometimes funny commentary while we marveled at the amazing scenery. The fresh water crocodile inhabits these waterways. We did see a few crocs, but were unable to get any pictures (well not any that are recognisable)
We saw one of the workers fishing while on his day off, he caught a huge Barramundi and, I guess, it fed quite a few people for dinner that night.
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In this second picture you will see a small waterfall
We were taken by boat through this gorge with about 60 other people and entertained by two of the traditional owners of the region, the Jawoyn people. They told the dreamtime stories about the gorge and the meaning of the names. A pleasant and sometimes funny commentary while we marveled at the amazing scenery. The fresh water crocodile inhabits these waterways. We did see a few crocs, but were unable to get any pictures (well not any that are recognisable)
We saw one of the workers fishing while on his day off, he caught a huge Barramundi and, I guess, it fed quite a few people for dinner that night.
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Nitmiluk gorge winds its way through 12km of sheer rock cliff faces, some as high as 70 metres. I have wanted to see this place since I saw the film "Jedda" when I was a teenager, it told the story about a young Aboriginal girl who fell in love and married a man from a different "skin" (forbidden in Aboriginal culture) The film ends with the heart broken Jedda jumping to her death from one of the clifftops.
I highly recommend this delghtful way to spend a couple of hours to any one taking a road trip through the Northern Territory.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Devils Marbles
Under a vivid blue Australian sky we stopped to take some pictures of the Devils marbles, a natural rock formation, 2km north of Wauchope in the Northern territory, known as Karlu-Karlu to the Aboriginal people.
This shot is the other side of the first heap of rocks. Its amazing how they stay perched on top and never tumle down.
This next one is my favourite, if you click to enlarge it seems that you can almost touch it.
In this national Park there are walkways that will take you through these rocks and I'm sure that there are many more to see and wonder at but we were on our way to Darwin and didn't want to take the time for a longer stay here.
Next stop Katherine where we DID stay overnight to take a boat ride down the mighty Katherine Gorge. That blog is for tomorrow.
This shot is the other side of the first heap of rocks. Its amazing how they stay perched on top and never tumle down.
This next one is my favourite, if you click to enlarge it seems that you can almost touch it.
In this national Park there are walkways that will take you through these rocks and I'm sure that there are many more to see and wonder at but we were on our way to Darwin and didn't want to take the time for a longer stay here.
Next stop Katherine where we DID stay overnight to take a boat ride down the mighty Katherine Gorge. That blog is for tomorrow.
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