Week 2 Cliffs track down the Soligo’s

Two Mums (Upper L) Two little ballet girls (Upper R) Two Dads (Lower R) Six kids playing UNO (Lower L)

Mon 25 and Tues 26/7/10

Well we didn’t think that it would happen. After leaving Bitter Springs near Mataranka we travelled to Katherine. Wow – we haven’t seen a McDonalds for ages. So we stop and eat then pull out the laptop to upload a photo as there is free internet access in Maccas. This was a chance to catch up with what is happening on the Soligo’s blog.

[For those who don’t know the Soligo’s go to school with the kids]

There we see that they have booked a cruise on the Katherine Gorge for Monday morning. So we decide to try and track them down. We drive out to the National Park (Nitmiluk). On our first sweeping loop around the unpowered section - BINGO!

Katherine Gorge was closed that day as there had been a salt-water crocodile spotted! Surprise!!!!! No swimming or canoeing in the Gorge.

We spend the afternoon catching up and swimming in the resort style pool. They even had a restaurant/bar next to the pool , and this is a National Park camp ground.! Glass of wine, kids swimming, great evening – what a life. Kids played card games and chased each other around the campground at night.

In the morning we did the Katherine Gorge Lookout loop walk and chilled out for the rest of the day.

V, G, L, J and S

This page is for Noodles

Ubirr Rock (left) Litchfield NP (below)

Darwin - Pool sitting Darwin - Arafura Sea - Markets

This page is for Noodles. She had such a good time with us in the Top End. She cooked every night for her son on the trip up and bought all the food including lots of yummy toasted sandwiches (we think she is hooked). She didn’t want to drive through outback QLD as she didn’t want to be responsible for wrecking the trip. Always quick with a yarn she entertained many a traveller and saw herself as a younger generation to the grey nomads.

The sunset market in Darwin was a treat, we walked around for hours and stuck our toes into the sea to tempt the salt water crocs of the Arafura. No swimming here.

Noodles swam in the springs at Mataranka homestead and loved the warm weather (big break from the cold). She caught up with her old friend from boarding school in Darwin and stayed up till 2am with her when she stayed overnight. Walking around Kakadu information office Noodles could smell coffee a mile away and met someone that she knows (Mel T.) . Typical of Noodles she was always interested in getting everyone an icecream. Hotdogs and milkshakes don’t go together.

She climbed up Ubirr rock as we tricked her that we had to get over it to get back (she was thrilled to see the classic view of Kakadu). We ate barramundi caught by the camp caretakers for a token price as she got into a big conversation about their fishing. The feast was shared with Mel and Brian. Yum – just happened to have some lime and they had coriander).

When we went crocodile spotting on the East alligator river, Noodles OOOOHed and AAAAHed. She tentatively enjoyed the 40km 4WD track out to Gunlom Falls and then loved the plunge pool when she got there (swam with fresh water crocs).

Litchfield Falls was next and Noodles was wary of the kids jumping off the rocks into the water at Buley Plunge Pools. She went on many a walk with us and chatted away to the kids sometimes singing them a rhyme. Tjyaneria Falls was a hike but the thrill was swimming in the beautiful pool at the bottom of the waterfall, the rock jump from there was amazing.

The road back to Darwin came all too quickly and Noodles had to catch a plane. She is with us in spirit now that she is home safely in the deep cold of winter. I am sure that she still remembers the searing heat of Darwin.

MISS YOU N. Cliff family

Week 2 Darwin to Mataranka

Bitter Springs swimming

G’Day Everyone

We started the second week chilling out in Darwin again (3 nights). N left us on Thursday at 7am to fly back to Sydney - we miss her a lot. Then we went to Breakfast with the Fagnano’s at the Novatel Darwin. They were having a stop-over on their way back from Europe. Had to straighten my hair!!!!

That night we went to Mindil Sunset markets for the second Thursday in a row and ate Laksa on the beach. It was fabulous listening to a group of local aboriginals singing songs as the sun went down over the Arafura Sea.

Big drive to Mataranka on day 3 and camped with the Steven’s at Bitter Springs for 2 nights near Elsey National Park. Bitter Springs is UNREAL. You jump into this warm creek water (34 Degrees) and float down the current for about 150m. It is all natural spring water from the Artesian Basin about 80m down. Then walk up a short track and do it all over again – loop after loop. L did a lot of swimming against the current.

Heard today the Wangi Falls (Litchfield N.P) swimming hole is open for the first time this season – they shot the crocodile. So the Soligo’s may have been there! Have to check their blog site. We heard the rangers shooting at it when we stayed there. Luckily, we are nowhere near salty crocodiles now.

Week 1 - Litchfield National Park - Great swimming!

Again we met up with some friends and stayed at Wangi Falls for 2 nights in Litchfield N.P. Unfortunately Wangi was closed for swimming, (still not proven croc. free yet), falls running strong and we did a walk - saw plenty of flying foxes and large golden orb weaver spiders. The kids had a fantastic time swimming in Buley Rock hole. They jumped into the pool from a rock. Even 5yrold S was jumping!

Next day we did a 4WD trip out to Tjaynera Falls/Sandy Creek. Our first water crossing in the car. Lovely little bushwalk out to the falls and then we came to the very large swimming hole. Amazing waterfall and then plenty of action jumping off the side of the waterfall into the swimming hole. Some jumps were from rocks about 6m above the water. N was very anxious!!!!! Only G and L had the guts to jump from the higher rock.

LOL V and G

Week 1 Camping in Kakadu! Man dies at next campground.

East Alligator River/Armhem Land Ubirr Rock art

East Alligator River Croc - we took this picture!

Yellow Waters at dusk


Gunlom Falls

Hi All,

We have arrived back in Darwin after a week in Kakadu with N (G's mum). She left yesterday to fly back to Sydney. We really enjoyed having her stay with us and share all the fun.

We set up camp in Muirella Park in Kakadu. It was away from crocodiles! Me actually met up with people that N knows from when the kids were young (Mel, Brian, Angus and Nieve) and we camped with them for two 4 nights.

On the first day wen to Gunlom Falls and swam in the big waterhole with Fresh water crocodiles and fish. That afternoon we went to Yellow waters to see the sunset (see picture). The next we week on an Aboriginal Culture Cruise along the East Alligator River and we went into Arnhem Land. So many crocodiles and freakishly close.

Than we climbed Ubirr rock and saw beautiful aboriginal art. Looking at the top of the rock across the wetland almost surreal. It was postcard perfect. We saw a Jabiru standing on another rock minding its nest - silhouetted against the sky. They are really big.

When we got back to camp we heard that an Irish man had died the night before. The campground supervisors were very sad as it was the one up from us 10km away. At first they thought he was taken by a croc as they were all swimming at dusk. But he didn't have any teeth marks on him when they found him. He had drowned after drinking too much.

We then left for Litchfield National Park.

Hi my friends! Glad to see are following GP.

Post soon! V and L

Week 1 Minidil Beach Sunset Markets

On Thursday night, we went to Minidil Beach for the Sunset Markets. It was very multi-cultural -there was a white man playing 4 didgeridoos at once to rap music! We were fasinated by 2 men dancing with fire and doing tricks, N couldn't watch! We're off to Kakadu soon and I've excperienced my first pack-up, which was very, very boring! Last blog for a while! L.

Week 1 Made it to Darwin

Yeah! We made it to Darwin in one piece. The first the kids did was jump into the pool. Can you believe it - we went from 16 C with rain and wind to 34C and sun, sun, sun. Will be in touch soon with photos. Had dinner at N's old boarding school friend last night. Friendly people.

One other thing that people from V.'s work may be interested: Got onto the airport shuttle bus and who was there? Our old Maths Head Teacher - initials P.M. Yes she was travelling to South Aust to see Lake Eyre in flood. Small world!

G wanted to fully wear out 3 tyres, done on journey to Darwin - 3 newys on today.

V.
PS will add photos next time.

Goodbye House, Hello Camper-Trailer!

Hi everyone,

Almost set to abandon the house and fly to Darwin to meet G and N. Temperatures up there are 33 degrees Celsius, so I'm going to be swimming and swimming and swimming. But for those who are hoping I'll swim out to sea, I don't want to be a salty's breakfast, lunch OR dinner.

V is very pleased when someone posts a comment or it comes up with a new follower, she's deprived!

L.

P.S. I want to hear from my school friends......PLEASE?

Driving after dusk in the Outback!

This is just the thing that you shouldn't try doing in Outback Queensland!

Today the Camel Camper (that's the brand name of our camper trailer) is heading towards Longreach, Queensland. G called me shortly before dinner time to let me know they had set up and were 1 hour out of Longreach in some obscure town. G had been driving for an hour after dusk and had to pull up at the obscure town - too many kangaroos to dodge.

I am a little cranky as he said that they wouldn't be driving after dusk! I want my car to be intact when I get to Darwin. G has had a few crashes in the past.

What do you all think the odds are?

On the road now!

Yeah! We finished packing the car and G left this morning. Finally he is on the road. G had breakfast at his mum's place and packed her in the car with all the provisions for the 7 day trip. For those who I haven't spoken to, G's mum is N. She is travelling with us around the Top End for a week and then flying home. It also gives G a person to travel with and leaves me time to pack up the house. This picture is BEFORE the big pack up. I hope the car comes back looking like this! Maybe just a little bit dirty. My poor car! V

Hi everyone, I took this picture and downloaded it! You can't get much more excited than me right now. We've changed the dates on our itinerary a little, so we have to spend less time in the same places, still coming back at the same time. I think I've packed the most clothes, since my bag is the heaviest, I rolled 'em up. Bye for now. L

Hi to all my friends JD and CL especially. S

Hello everyone from Yr 2 in my class and all my friends outside of school. I cant wait to go on the trip. Yesterday my dad left and I danced in the Modern. Big day. I came 3rd out of 22 people. Two of my friends from ballet school came first and second so all three of us took out the places. I am very proud of both of them and our teacher smiled alot. J

Still packing - things are a little slow

Wednesday 6 July
Hi All

Today is the day of the big pack up! We are moving slowly but G still intends to leave tonight. It is now 6pm as I write this and I cant see him leaving until the morning really.

I spent the morning at the ballet eisteddfod with J. She was pretty nervous but recovered to get an HC in the Classical. Trying to do everything!

On another front, my neurologist has organised the medication I take to be given to me in Darwin. We have had to rearrange all our trip and this only happened last night! Bookings have been shuffled but hopefully the weather doesn't put us behind as things are now really tight.

Here is a photo of the setup BEFORE it gets trashed. Can't believe we are going to spend 3 months in that! How will we handle it!
- V

Only three days to go - J's birthday today

Only three days to go and packing is still to be done. We celebrated J's birthday and she was very happy to get a Razor Powerwing!!!!!! Can't see what all the fuss is about really. Must be getting OLD.

G is staying at work till 9pm wiring up the trailer tonight. He is very tired and grumpy. There are still little things to do but one thing that he got from the camping shop looks interesting. G bought an electric shower. Nice hot water in a bucket and the shower head is fixed somewhere up outside. Electric pump for shower draws water out of the bucket and then you wash your hair. Just need to set up a tarp around you. What will they think of next?

There is one little side story that I have to write down. Last night G came home from last day at work at 7.30pm (very tired). He had dinner and mum and I discussed the day. Mum had made a chocolate cake for J's birthday. After G ate dinner he asked if there was any dessert. I told him there was some leftover cake from work (they had given it to me for my birthday in August!) next to the stove. G looked next to the stove and saw the birthday cake. He took one huge piece out of it and started to eat. Mum gave a cry and G almost choked. G said that he couldn't believe he didn't think, as we had just discussed making the birthday cake. He obviously did not look hard enough for the left over cake! Anyway, we got a piece of leftover cake and cut it to size. It filled the whole and we also happened to have some icing left over. Nobody noticed the difference today.

PS We cut G the piece that was inserted to fill the hole.

V

Anticipation - The Beginning

Tension is mounting in the Cliff household. Today we have both finished work and everything feels surreal! There is not enough time, money and patience in this household. The question is will we comeback divorced or a happy family?

There is a long list of things to do but somehow there is not a day in the next week and a half that is free from an appointment or event. G and N are leaving on Tuesday next week and we have to celebrate J's birthday tomorrow.

Where to start? I didn't think things would be this stressful. Last night I woke up at 2am and started crying. Mum was down and she woke up to G and I talking. She made us all a hot chocolate. What would I do without her?