MOVING FORWARD??????

NEWS FLASH....

Husband just rang me to tell me he is chucking his job & will be home shortly!.....Oh boy what does this mean???

He has not been happy, with this company since starting, they have him running all over the place & are just so un organised....Meanwhile i am @ Rockmans

 &

LOVING IT!!!!!!

Trouble is i only get weekends, so therefore the hours are not enough!!

Seeing as we are here to work & try & get our some funds back in the bank account, 15 hours a week is just not enough!

I had an interview with Tarja'

 (Target that is) last week & i spoke to them yesterday,

inquiring if i was successful or not???

 They informed me they are still running ref checks & hopefully will get back to me by the end of this week!?!

Mmmmm.....Just wondering what Mark is going to say when he gets home??

We could be outta here & heading to WA very soon???

That is where we planned on heading next,

 but the original plan was to get out of Darwin about

September before the hot humid sticky wet season kicks in.

Oh well we will find out very very soon???

Stay tuned!!!

Till next

time

ENJOY!!!! 

P.S....Hahahaha The guy on the radio just announced that.....Julia moving forward Gillard is up here in the top end for the week!
Coincidental as i called this post.... Moving Forward!!!!!!! 

YOUR COMMENTS!

Mark and Sharon wrote...

Hi, Yes Australia is beautiful!...I hope your wishes come true for you!Thank you for your comment, it is always nice to have some feedback!Have a great day!Bye for nowSharon

Ms. Littlewing wrote...

Wow I am envy both of you..Australia is in my wishlist trip....hope to fly there soon.Truly AsiaMs.Littlewinghttp://littlewingdestinaytions.blogspot.com

The Retro Roamers wrote...

Wot, already there!!!!!!!!How rude!!!What happened to Daly Waters???????The bet was the first one there, buys the loosers of the race a cartoooooon of beer!(he he!!)Join the club about being in the...

Continue >>

Mark and Sharon Gregory wrote...

Hi, Well sorry but you definetly wont beat usas we are here!!!!!....Yes Alice was to say the least a real eye opener!Mark said please refresh our memory...What was the bet?? & what do we win???...

Continue >>

The Retro Roamers wrote...

Hi Shaz & MarkAnother great post, you really know how to put some humour into your trip.It is good to read about the realalities of Alice. Had a mate go through there a few years back....seems...

Continue >>

The Retro Roamers wrote...

Hey ShazAll you can say is WOW!!!!!!!!Glad your Havaianas handled the pressure of the rock climb. Me and the bride couldn't live with ours (he he!!!!)Safe travelsCheers and beersUs

The Retro Roamers wrote...

Have a happy bithday Shaz, and happy Mothers day too.What a great up date of your post. Looks like you will definately win the race to Darwin.Can't wait till the next post.Cheers & beersUs

Mark and Sharon Gregory wrote...

Yes, i think summer would be a lovely time to visit there! Yep that is the plan up the centre to Darwin for winter....Time to move on from down here, it is getting way too cold!Oh well you cant win...

Continue >>

The Retro Roamers wrote...

Great pikkies.....looks bloody cold Shaz. Like Red Nomad Oz, we too never seem to get there....but love looking at the pikkies and reading your post. That's all the bride talks about is the GOR....

Continue >>

Mark and Sharon Gregory wrote...

The pics dont do this place justice!Yep....It is a definite must see!Just amazing!!!

Red Nomad OZ wrote...

We've been trying to get to the GOR for several years - but whenever we plan, something goes wrong!! Glad to see the weather cleared up for your 2nd day - but both the grey and sunny pix look...

Continue >>

Red Nomad OZ wrote...

Whoa, that whale story is awesome! I've only been in that area once many years ago - can't wait to do it again!!

The Retro Roamers wrote...

Hey Guys, great to see you are on the move again.The weight thingy, all sounds like the same conversation between me and the bride, nearly word for word...yaaaaaa!!!!!! I feel good.South coast of...

Continue >>

Anonymous wrote...

Looks like we will be the winners then!....By the way how much was riding on it & when can we collect?

The Retro Roamers wrote...

Hey ShazThe race is still on to Darwin......maybe 2013 he he!!!CYAUs

Red Nomad OZ wrote...

Hey! Such a great story - so much more meaningful to look after something with age and character than to just buy a new one with all the bells and whistles!!Look forward to hearing more!!

~~**sKySiE**~~ wrote...

Cant wait for the next instalment!

Red Nomad OZ wrote...

Hey, I hope you changed the locks!! But just as well he was gone, made a hard job that bit easier.Hope you're having a great weekend!

Mark and Sharon Gregory wrote...

Yes I love your blog.....Hopefully he will go peacefully, the next few days will tell!We cant wait to get back on the road & slowly make our way to Darwin!Enjoy your travelling & adventures!

Red Nomad OZ wrote...

Hey, bummer about your tenant from hell - and good luck with the eviction.I've just been reading through your last few posts -they brought back happy memories of some of the places we've...

Continue >>

Mark and Sharon Gregory wrote...

Hahahaha!......Watch & see!!

The Retro Roamers wrote...

Hi guysGreat to see you are enjoying your time in Q.I told ya the war memorial was just sensational. If we ever get back to Canberra, we will visit again.I noticed that you really enjoy Q. Wait till...

Continue >>

The Retro Roamers wrote...

Hi GuysWe will win, cause we can (he he!!!)Spruke up the Val, polish the RetroLiner, pack the boardies, and the sarong, don't have much else (LOL)We gotta beat these young's to Darwin!!!!!!On...

Continue >>

Mark and Sharon Gregory wrote...

It is so tragic & makes you think how lucky we are!You are funny Retro Roamers.....Let the race begin! Where is the start line???

The Retro Roamers wrote...

Hi Shaz and MarkGood to see you are both back on the road. Don't miss the war memorial, just sensational. Allow a day at least.I think it must be a race to Darwin. See who, beats who!Cheers &...

Continue >>

YOU'VE GOT MAIL

I use to love getting mail, not that I ever got much

usually Mark would get the majority of it!

At home we would check our P.O box every second day or so

I enjoyed our little ritual of sorting through it!

1 for you.... 1 for me....

Bills for you.... None for me!

Since we have been on the road it has caused us no end of grief!

Before we left home we bought a stack of postage bags from our post office & left those with them. When we are ready to have it sent I ring our P.O & they are kind enough to
send our mail on to us wherever we may be!

That means, we now only get the mail monthly, not that there should be much
as we have tried to do most things by email!

The last time we got our mail
it was full of

Stressful bas statements, rates, mobile phone bills, Internet bills & ten ton of other crap,
making Marks blood pressure rise!

Finally a bit of relief! (well for me anyway)
Junk mail!!!!
(That is one thing you don't get in caravan parks
the good old junk mail to browse over while enjoying your morning cuppa!)

Not for long though cause next was a Telstra envelope

I am thinking this is our Internet bill & it will be a big one, because i down loaded some videos & spoke to the kids on the web cam last month!

Nope it is Marks monthly mobile bill.......What a doozie!

The biggest one he has ever had in his life!!!!

$154.00, as we sat & went through it, we worked out why it was so deer!

It turned out to be the Interstate calls they cost a fortune & I am really bad for dialling
1245
to find phone numbers quickly!

I thought that mobile phone calls were the same price no matter where in Aus you are!!
Shows how dumb I am!

Well
When we left Alice Springs recently, we ordered our mail to be sent to
Howard Springs in Darwin.
We were told it would take a week to get up there!
Beauty by that time we will be there & all will be good!
Ha!...NOT!
On the Friday after arriving in Darwin
we went into the P.O to pick up our mail, as it had been exactly
a week since arranging it to be sent......
No sorry nothing for Gregory today, try again on Monday!
Monday came & nothing!
 The following Monday came & still nothing?!?!
I even rang Alice Springs just in case the people @ our end misinterpreted
Howard Springs for Alice...Nope nothing down here for Gregory??
Mmmmm...This is strange what the heavens has happened to our mail?
So far we have not had a problem & find Australia posts service really good!
Bingo it turned up @ Howard Springs about 3 weeks later!
Where it went is any ones guess???
As we are in Darwin for a while
 we are using the caravan park as our address.
We ordered our mail & received it 4 days later this time!
Too good or not really as, it is no longer fun getting the mail anymore,

most of the time the bills are over due & it is always
Pay Out!
 Pay Out! Pay Out!

Where are the days of getting a real letter gone & the excitement of going to the letter box!
So funny how the
Simple things in life are so sweet!!!

Cheers till next time!
Enjoy!

LITCHFIELD FOR THE DAY

We set off in the dark
 for

Litchfield National Park 

Mark has done a fair bit of reading about this place in many of his 4 x 4 books

Apparently Litchfield is the pick of the national Parks up here,

with many saying that Kakadu is over rated?

We will do Kakadu while we are here in the top end

as it is one of those have to do places

even if some say....

Kakadu ~~~ Kakadont

We will just have to wait & find out for ourselves!

With the picnic basket packed, & our camping gear

(which lives in the truck) containing
everything else needed to make a scrumptious lunch!

 We are organised!

Litchfield is about a 100 odd kms south from Darwin....

Hahahah...Oh der!!!

 Well it could not be north or we would be going by boat!!

You can swim at the many waterfalls & water holes @ Litchfield,

apparently it is safe from Crocs?

Don't know about that somehow......

 Last week we heard on the news how rangers had captured a

rogue croc in one of the water holes there!

I think that i may pass! 

It is the dry season & all the fire danger rating signs along the side of the road

point to very high fire danger! 

 Evident as we continue driving, that there has been a lot of back burning going on!

Strange how winter here, is the bush fire season!

We arrived & first stop 

The

Magnetic Termite Mounds

Hey now, if you have seen one termite mound you have seen em all, so we thought?

Well maybe not...

This is big!!!!

Imagine the millions of destructive

little critters, which call this thing home!

Next stop is

Buley Water Hole

 

So pretty it is, with the water flowing down the rocks

 into this crystal clear & very inviting deep

 swimming pool at the bottom!

 Lot's of couples were taking the plunge, it did look like it would be croc safe,

mainly, because of all the rocks!...Apparently crocs don't like rocks!

Darwin's top temps today are only going to reach

25 degrees!

It is about 9am & it is still a tad bit fresh so, 
we both opted against going in for a dip just yet!

Hopefully it will warm up by the time we make our way around the many

 waterfalls & waterholes!

On our way around we saw a 4 x 4 campground, we deetoured for a look,.

Just in case we decide to come back & pitch

the tent & enjoy a little camping holiday!

We had a chat with some of the happy campers around the sites,

they gave us the gos on a few waterholes!!!

Swimming spots that is.....Where we could swim alone without all the hoards

of the many tour bus people that come through here regularly!

Now....We need to hurry

 so as we beat

 that mob in the bus to the next spot!!!!!

We feel we will

definitely be coming back to camp here & enjoy a little bit of 

R & R for a week or two, in the near future!

  

Well we made it down this 4 x 4 track without unlocking the hubs or letting down the tyres

but.....we need them unlocked now to get back up!

With the sign telling us what to do.....

 That is exactly what we did!!!

Back to the beauty of this National Park,

 sees us @ Florence Falls 

Wow!

Say that 10 times quickly....

Florence Falls!

Florence Flalls!

Florence Flalls!

Ha ha ha ha!

Oh poor me....Small things do amuse my small mind

&

Husbands smaller mind laughed on!!

 

Now seeing as the lookout is only 120 metres away we set off eagerly!

 That is a one big waterfall!

Further down the track & there in front of us is the beginning

of the 135 steps

which lead down to the pool below!

I am going, i energetically proclaim!

No way I'm not, i am going back to the car.

Say's.....Sooky Bum Husband

Oh don't be so ridiculous you lazy old man!

Well

As we kept walking, we passed a few people on their way back.

Well worth it once you get down there

but the walk back up the lady informed us is..... Quote

"SHIT"

Keep coming old boy, this is a once in a life time opportunity

 plus we need the exercise & at the same time work up an appetite for lunch!!!

Once down the bottom & well pictures tell a thousand words!

 Very Very Pretty!

After surviving that without falling in,

it is now time to embark on our expedition back up the

135 stairs & yep, let us tell you, 

the lady was right!!!!

From there we drove around to Wangi  Falls.....

We decided to have lunch first, as we were both starving &

had definitely worked up our appetites!

 So in the car park we made lunch & enjoyed a cuppa!

With our big fat bellies now full

 we waddled off to see yet another waterfall!

This one is suppose to be the best?

 

There is a big salt water croc stuck in the pool!

Glad i already made up my mind that i would not be doing any swimming!!!!

Wangi falls is really stunning!

 Such a shame that bloody croc was in there somewhere

because the water did look very inviting!

                                           Time to do some croc spotting.......I feel!

Spectacular!

Mark was ready to leave after about 20 minutes of being there ....Not me

I was so mesmerised by the beauty of 
Wangi Falls
I could of stood there all day quite happily just staring out!

Time to set off for home now, along the way we made one last stop off

@

Greenant Creek

A pretty little creek!

But

both mark & I said.........

So where are the green ants?

We did end up spotting their nest up a tree!

These things are a real pain in the bum for those who don't know!

They pack a terrible sting & come in millions!

Back in cairns we had them every where, all over the van & ground

Our neighbours over the road had a solution to the problem

firstly find the nest, then wrap tape around the trunk near the top & smear with Vaseline....The poor little critters can't get back down & end up dying up the tree!
Some say their bums are a delicacy!
Mmmm.....
It would take a lot of those tiny little bums to
make a decent meal
I feel!!

Anyway
As we were walking back up the track,
I got the shock of my life as this gold coloured black headed long snake
 slithered not two feet in front of me as it crossed the path we were on!
OMG.......I still have Goosebumps!!!~!
It was so quick & of course i was in too much shock to take a photo,
 when i did get the camera ready it was gone way out of sight!
I said to Mark did you see that?
 He did but he only saw the tail end of it!

Oh well!!!
 That was a bit of excitement my poor dodgy heart could of done without!!!
A tour guide came past & i asked him if he sees many snakes on his walks ...
Yeah!.... Heaps!
I told him my story, & he quickly identified the culprit......
 Oh, that would be the
Olive Headed Tree Python!
Harmless he goes on to tell me, their fangs are way @ the back of their mouth
 so you would have to stick your finger down its throat before it could bite you &
even then you would still be ok?
Oh well that is good to know!

Obviously, they don't hibernate up here in the top end!!!!
As far as i am concerned though,
 a snake is a snake
 &
 I don't like them, especially that close!

Seriously though, how stupid are we.....
Always in thongs & never do we take our 
U beaut snake survival kit with us,
sometimes we even go without
water or phone!
We are not true bush walking people....
Just clayton ones, who so far on our trip
have been very lucky!!!

Good to know, we will definitely be ok
As
Only The Good Die Young!

Funny once you get in the outback, anything to do with rocks or waterfalls become
 the star attraction!.....I suppose like over on the coast, the beaches take centre stage!

We like the beaches better!

Even if there are no fish for our taking.... Haha! 

We just love the atmosphere!

It feels so healthy to get out in the sunshine, to feel of the sand swishing

through your toes & the salt water lapping at your feet!

Mmmmm....

Are we getting home sick???

Anyway

Till Next Time
Cheers From Us!

www.tourismtopend.com.au/pages/litchfield-national-park

HI' HO' HI' HO'......IT'S OFF TO WORK WE GO!

With the holiday part of travels over for the time being 
 it is now time to get back to work and
 replenish the coffers once again!

Boy! Oh! Boy!!
 It sure does cost a lot of money to live this lifestyle!
Diesel, Food & Grog, probably costing the most
when on the road, then there is the rent!!.....
Oh well it is all
Yum & Fun!!!
I was keeping tabs on everything we spent, but after nearly 12 months i gave up!
Last count was back in January & the total was up to 39 thousand,
  for just under 9 months travelling!
I think there were a few things that i may have missed & i know for sure one of those was the washing....
That cost usually averaged out at about $20 p/w
Well those figures are a bit sad i feel!
So i am glad that i stopped tallying
for
 what we don't see in print wont hurt us!!!!!!

With the thought of the
WORK word
Come the feelings of
YUCK... not again!
 That went so quick that last two months we just had off!

Actually we don't mind this part of our adventures!
For one it is nice to stay put for a while in one place, & for two
if we didn't work, apart from being poor
 we would be
The biggest fattest blobs walking!
Oh sorry, make that staggering, as we would be alcoholics for sure!!
With way too many of those happy hours!!!!

Okay!.... It is time to get serious now!!!
I spent three days knocking on doors & handing in my resume!

Mark spent one morning making about half a dozen phone calls

&

whammo!

He started work the next day!
Lucky Husband!!!

It certainly pays off & makes life much simpler when you have a trade,

plus, be able to put your hand too, & master many applications
then to top it all off

have an abundance of experience!!

Well....That's my Man!

Now as for me....
Jill of all Trades & Master of None!!!

Well

Wednesday Morn....Saw Mark off to his first job!
The following Monday  arvo.....Saw me off to my first job interview with
Rockmans.
Happily, with success!
I will be working every Saturday & Sunday
I started the next day & i just love it!!!!
The people there are
So So Lovely!!!

Anyway!
 I have been @ my new job for a week now,
I did Sunday all on my own with a couple of little
hick-ups, nothing major thankfully & @ the end of the day.....
Yeeha!!!
The till balanced!!

As for Mark, well he is ready to chuck his job as they are such a disorganised company & have him running around in circles!
Who know what next week will bring??

Until then it is my day off  today so,
 it is up to the pool for me
for a
 Swim & Sunbake

Cheers
Till next time
ENJOY! 

DARWIN FOR WINTER!~~~~~Part 1

We arrived in Darwin & booked into our caravan park!

WOW!

This place is fantastic, it  has 3 pools,
the main one has a
Poolside Bar & Bistro!

Now this is a little bit fancy!

We didn't know how long we would stay here for so we did the usual 2 night book in!

We chose the premium sites which have an en suite!

We thought we would shout our selves to a bit of luxury for a couple of nights!!! 

Trouble is though, you share it with one other couple or family.
Really for $48.00 per night i want my own en suite!!!

Anyway tomorrow we will go for a drive around

Darwin & check out some other parks & we will also

 start investigating the work scene!...

YUCKO!

Up bright & early & off we went to check out our new neighbourhood!

Wow!~~~ Darwin is really quite small!

We checked out a few caravan parks & decided we definitely are in the

best one & the price is not to bad after all!

On the job scene

 I put my Resume in @ the local nursing home &  just about every shop in the

two major shopping centres here!

Mark also spoke to a few builders around the area!

Now, i know he will not have a problem as everyone we speak to

 tells us how much building work is going on in the suburb

near where we happen to be staying!

Me on the other hand, is not feeling very confident!

 It is reminding me of back at 

Townsville.

 There i found it impossible to find work,

 mainly because of the location where we were staying & not having
a car & when i did get an interview close by 
they wanted me to commit for a year!

Oh NO!....I don't think so!!!!

We will just have to wait & see what the next couple of weeks brings! 

We have decided that if i do have trouble,

 then we will buy a little bomb car for about $1,000
then when we move on we will sell it!

Too Easy!

Boy! oh Boy!

The weather in the top end is incredible!

It is unbelievable how we were freezing back in

Alice Springs & had the air con on warm, now not even a week later & we are roasting up here with the air con on cold!!

Strange how our small little Australia has such variants in temperatures!!!

We are not complaining this is  

So Good!!!!

Well we  moved from our premium site & went over with
all the other poor people!

Ha ha ha ha!!!

 The price across the road dropped down to $38.00 per night!
We picked the best site!

Funny it also reminds me of Townsville with its own little private back yard!

The only down fall of our little tropical paradise 

THE

MOZZIES MIDGIES

&

POSSUMS!!

The midgies (sand flies) & mozzies are shocking!!

 The mozzies up here are quite big & have a stick like straight back,

boy, do they pack a punch when they bite!

Mark spoke to someone recently & they were telling him

 that a girl died from a mozzie bite from here!

Apparently she was visiting

The Northern Territory on holiday, 

& when she returned home she fell very ill & died!

The Dr's identified the killer as a

Northern Territory
Mosquito!!
That is a worry!!!

Now....To those bloody little hard to see pain in the bum sand flies!

Those things are a night mare!

 I cannot understand how something not visible to the eye

(except when they fly around in a bunch in the light of the sun)

even have a have a head let alone teeth that KILLLLLL!!!

So with.....

 Areogard, Bushman's, Citronella Candle, Citronella Bamboo Torches and

Mozzie Coils guarding our little home, we now can sit out side in comfort!

   

Possums you may be wondering?

Well......

The first night we were here i heard them in the tree above us.

Now

Sharon being Sharon decides to feed them,

Awh!.... Thinking, oh how cute, before long i will have them eating out of my hand???

Mark already warning me not to do it, but of course

 i don't listen & do what i want!

So inside i went & cut up an apple for them!

I can hear Husband yelling in the back ground.....Don't give them my Pink Lady Apples!!!

Oops Sorry!.....Too late!

The next night i did the same thing, but by the 3rd day,

i thought this is not good (i should of listened to my intelligent Husband!)

 what if they start running all over our awning, they could rip it to shreds!!!

So i stopped feeding them!
Then the little buggar's started to wee all over our floor!

I suppose it was there way of telling me to feed them!!

I would move if i were you my Husband!!!

Look out!!!!

It has been about a week now since i stopped feeding them & so far so good!

They have stopped the wee business & have left us alone!

Mmmmmm.....Well I won't be doing that again!!!

We decided to do a bit of sight seeing last week end! 

We went to the famous Mindil Markets

This place is famous for the

Sunsets over Mindil Beach which is back drop for the market!

We got there about 4.30 pm browsed around, bought a couple of things.

Well i did ...Namely a skirt & some of this u beaut face exfoliate, which really is only rock salt with some smelly oils in it, but it felt so good i had to have it! 

Time for some dinner & again we meandered our way around the many food stalls looking for something yummy, we chose some chinese & this place looked like the best of a bad lot!
It was so awful & worse

still
 it kept reminding us of this

 all night long!!!

 Mindil Markets

Mindil Beach

We left there & drove our queasy bodies around to

East Point to view the sunset!

Just Beautiful!!

Now as you know by now, i am just so fascinated by Crocs & i cant wait to

see one in the wild....From a distance that is or better still from the safety of the truck!!

Next Morning we went to

Crocodylus Park for the day.

Wow!

What a fun day!

 Mark & I both fed a Crocodile, using the meat on the stick trick!

We also held one!!!

 I do not know how i did it??...

One lady kept saying to me go on you know you want to do it!

I said...

 No i don't want to at all, i am quite happy watching everyone else & even happier not touching it!!

Until

I thought, oh don't be such a sook Sharon & think of the photo i will have
of my bravery to show the grand children!

 So after a few attempts ....I did it!!!! 

Ewwie!.....It felt so cold with extra soft Skin!!!

I don't know what she is carrying on about??

Baby Croc Eyes! 

Their museum was so interesting!!!

Oh baby you are big!

I think this one wants us!!!

Look closely

@

Our little Tat-Tar Lizard

Sunning Himself on this Massive

Croc's tail!

This is a great base for lot's & lot's of sight seeing!

We are so looking forward to our time here!

You just can't beat this

Fantastic

Warm Winter Weather!

It got down to 25 the other evening & i had to put on a cardigan!

I think i am acclimatised already!!

Till next time

Cheers from us! 

Enjoy!