blog.sickdovel.net

A journal of our adventures

Archive for September, 2011

Day 64 – Bali (Day 1)

Sep 10

Posted by Anthony in Big Lap 2011, Caravanning | Comments off


The first full day in Bali started out bright and early.  Too early, as it turned out, since nothing was open by the time we headed out to prowl the shops.

We had brekky at the hotel overlooking the ocean and watched all the early morning joggers go past while we scoffed down omelettes, pancakes, fruits and breads with juices, milkshakes and coffees.

With nothing much open we were able to look at all the menus in peace and get a feel for where future lunches and dinners would be obtained.  Such is the way in Bali … you just move from eatery to watering hole to eatery to bed.

After a good walk down the main drag we stumbled across the Sanur Beach Market.  Hannah got her hair braided and nails painted, Blake got his massage, Kellie went ballistic and bought tons of clothes and I just had a coffee and footed the bill.  No need for a watch.  If hungry, find food.  If thirsty, find beer.  If dark, find bed.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: ,

Day 63 – Welcome to Bali

Sep 9

Posted by Anthony in Big Lap 2011, Caravanning | Comments off


Kel had had enough of cooking every day.

I had had enough driving every day.

The kids had had enough of sitting next to each other every day.

We were all sick of being cooped up in a little white hot-box.

Sounds like we need a holiday from our holiday …
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: ,

Day 62 – Darwin (Day 4)

Sep 8

Posted by Anthony in Big Lap 2011, Caravanning | Comments off


Had the Prado in for its 20,000km service today, so we’ve been stuck at the park.

I decided to spend a bit of captive time doing some repairs on the van and catching up with the blog.  I have given up all hope of rewiring the rear view camera on the van correctly.  The camera doesn’t seem to be sending a signal, it seems to have power, but I can’t tell for sure.  Car wiring also looks OK, but the screen also refuses to power up.  All those bumps took their toll on the cheapy ebay stuff.

Kel’s caught up with all the washing and had fun making a shopping list.  The kids have spent the day going from pool to jumping pillow.  Riding on their bikes and generally nothing useful.  Blake continues to put a downpayment on his flight back home.  I’m starting to see that this is their holiday and Kel & I are just their servants.
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: ,

Day 61 – Darwin (Day 3)

Sep 7

Posted by Anthony in Big Lap 2011, Caravanning | Comments off


Today looks like our only chance to do touristy stuff in Darwin, so that’s what we did.

We went and took a look at the Museum and Art Gallery … all free entry.

Hannah posing in front of the Terima Kasih

Heaps to see in the museum, but not many of the exhibits allowed photography for one reason or another.  This is well worth seeing if you’re ever in Darwin and the entry price can’t be beat.
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags:

Day 60 – Darwin (Day 2)

Sep 6

Posted by Anthony in Big Lap 2011, Caravanning | Comments off

Not too much to say today. The park we’re in is great, and at $82 a night it would want to be! We haven’t got an ensuite site, but have got a shared bathroom with HUGE shower, washing machine, dryer, etc. 3 pools, but we’ve only found 1 so far. Really nice spot.

Today was spent catching up on a few chores.  I had an appointment in the city (how novel!), had mail to pick up, had to find a few replacement parts for the Jayco and Prado, organizing the Prado’s 20,000km service and generally sussing out a few things that just have to be done before we leave here on Friday.  All the running around took up most of my day.

Kel’s day was similar (so she says), but I suspect that it was primarily spent swanning around the pool sipping champagne … as you do.  She begs to differ, and proclaims that she did LOTS of washing … and then some swanning around the pool.

Tags:

Day 59 – Darwin

Sep 5

Posted by Anthony in Big Lap 2011, Caravanning | Comments off


We decided overnight that we’d move again today, gypsy style, not really sure where we’d end up.  Pack up and brekky was completed without fuss and we were outta Cooinda by 8am.

First port of call was a 1.6km walk up the side of a mountain to get to Mirrai Lookout.  This wasn’t far from Cooinda and as it was early in the morning I figured that we’d get away without taking anything but ourselves.  Wrong.  Water was already going to be a necessity and at the halfway mark everybody was struggling.

We all made it to the top though.  Although I think I may have nearly killed them all dragging them up here.

Poor tired souls

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , ,

Day 58 – Kakadu (Day 2)

Sep 4

Posted by Anthony in Big Lap 2011, Caravanning | Comments off


Happy Fathers Day … from Kakadu.

We survived the night, despite the efforts of the land and the residents.  We had some visitors to the campground in the wee hours that let off a few fireworks and then buggered off.  Nothing too serious, but its a bit far off the beaten track to be disturbed by twits…

Socks and Jocks day was to be something a bit different this year.  The kids had been a little bit limited in their opportunities for purchases, but managed to sneak off and get a couple of things.  They got me a fly net (for the hat) … I think Kellie really wants to use that.  They also got me a pack of logic puzzles … I think Hannah really wants to play with those.  I may swap her for her Nintendo.

After brekky in bed, of bacon and eggs cooked by the kids, we packed up to move a bit deeper into Kakadu.  The heat here is taking its toll.  It saps the life out of you and everything is ‘just too hard’.  In that spirit, we sought somewhere that we could setup for 2 nights and do day trips from.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , ,

Day 57 – Kakadu

Sep 3

Posted by Anthony in Big Lap 2011, Caravanning | Comments off


Today we got up bright and early … well early for NT time.

We’ve swapped from 6am starts to 7:30am starts.

Not too far to go … but we’re not too sure where we’ll end up. I’d researched WA plenty, but not so much for NT.

Kakadu should occupy us for about 3 days, but where we were camping and what we were going to do was a bit of a mystery.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , ,

Day 56 – Katherine

Sep 2

Posted by Anthony in Big Lap 2011, Caravanning | Comments off

Our day started in hot Katherine, bright and early. We had a big brekky and got stuck into the day.

First stop was the Katherine School of the Air.  NT schools get started at 9:00 and that’s when the first tour got underway.

We weren’t allowed to take any photos due to student privacy rules.

The school is run just like any other, really!  They get the same funding from the government as any other school, its what they do with it that makes the difference.

These days the 250 students, across the NT (and beyond), are hooked up by satellite.  This allows the teachers and students to utilize a 2 way video phone style hookup.  All the students can hear and see the teachers, via a few cameras, and also see and hear the focus student as well.  They do all the sorts of subjects that you’d expect and a few that are a bit tricky, like choir.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , ,

Day 55 – Katherine

Sep 1

Posted by Anthony in Big Lap 2011, Caravanning | 1 Comment

One Thousand Six Hundred and Forty Three … Yep, that’s right 1643 I tell you !!!

We woke this morning at 5:30 … had a luxurious sleep in until 6 and then were on the road at 7:45.  Last day in WA and we never really adjusted to the time change.

Crossing over the border into the Northern Territory we had most of the car clocks change over time automatically, which caused a little confusion.  The GPS was telling us we’d be at Timber Creek at 12:00 and it was about 100 km away and only 9am on the car clock.  The brain took a little while to ‘go click’ and figure it all out.

Bye bye WA :(, Hello NT !!!!

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: