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Maureen BrownMaureen Brown
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Joined Aug 3, 2022 Read more
  • TravelerDarwin 2022
    Day 79

    Final wrap

    August 19, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Thanks to our ‘Travel Advisors’ Cass, Lyn and Leanne as it was on their advice that we made a last minute decision to detour off and visit Uluru National Park. The photo’s I took did not do justice to this place. Finished the day off with a Sunset Dinner, it was one of the best days of our trip :-) We travelled nearly 500km the next day to get to Coober Pedy where we booked in CPark for 3 nights, it was a great Park. The ‘town’ itself was nothing like I imagined, but it was full of surprises as many places you enter at ground level and inside they have created some beautiful spaces and homes from the underground opal tunnels. We were told to “book a tour of the town” well there is only one tour company operating and they were booked out so we got ourselves a self-guide Tourist Map and BB added extra point s of interest! These extra’s included both the Hotels, the Big Winch Restaurant, the Bakery (great vanilla slices) we went there twice, Race Course, Italian Cafe for breakfast (which was very authentic our brecky was cooked by Indians), the Football Oval. The Golf Club was like no other, a good Clubhouse on top of a big opal hill but it appeared to not be in use, some of the Tee’s are only suitable for young and fit mountain goats. The course itself would be stinking hot most of the year and windy being so flat with not a blade of grass or a tree or bush in sight. Driving around we accidentally came across the now abandoned ‘Coober Pedy Bowls Club’ Not sure who they would have played apart from each other? Maybe that was the problem? The Greens are near rotted through with the sun, the Clubhouse a substantial brick building is reasonably new Opened in 2006, So sad to see the greens and clubhouse boarded up broken glass and rubbish everywhere and all going to ruin. Apart from these extra’s we did all the other touristy things on the town map, including Oldtimers Mine, lots of Churches, drove out to the Breakaways and Dog Fence and of course visited many of the Opal Shops in town. Never was a fan of Opals but they grow on you so ‘we’ bought a solid opal on a gold clasp to put on my chain. It would be hard to spend money in that town as there are relatively no shops. There are no lawns to mow or gardens to take care of so I wonder what they do on week ends? Just one small supermarket, no Garden Nursery so there is no way could I could ever live there. Leaving Coober Pedy we weren’t sure where we would end up but in the end it was easy quick stop at Glendambo decided to give that place a miss a stop at Pimba for lunch (great hamburger) it was too early so we kept going and ended up at Stirling North (Pt. Augusta) another big driving day but BB did not mind as we had ‘radio’ coverage for quite a bit of it :-) We are now at Quorn and our trip is just about done. Meeting up with friends for tea at the Pub tonight, BB is playing Bowls tomorrow and for something different we are going to a racetrack on Saturday the Quorn Cup :-) Home sometime Monday!Read more

  • TravelerDarwin 2022
    Day 63

    Bitter and Renner Springs

    August 3, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    Final dip at Bitter Springs with Paula and Mick (WA) prior to leaving Manor CPk, was one of those life long experiences remembered forever. Steam coming off the water, 6.15am the sound of birds no other tourists it was luxury as the four of us had it all to ourselves. It was a laugh as Paula reckoned I needed ‘Noodle driving lessons’. Did have a giggle myself, as on a ‘lap’ the idea is that you float down to the bridge get out at the steps walk back and start a new lap. Sounds easy right, but ‘my pink noodle’ had a mind of its own, so everytime I floated towards the Bridge it sped up and tried to take me under and further along. I had to fight like hell to steer it back, and everytime I did a lap the same thing happened. We said our goodbyes and took off, we ended up at Renner Springs for the night, it was the crappiest Park we have stayed at ever. I said to BB “not sure how David M missed this one on the way up!! Ha ha but there were a few laughs! When I went to pay our site fee a lady tourist travelling solo was checking into a ‘3 star motel unit’ ( stars questionable) it was 3pm in the afternoon. She was told the ”motel room was not ready and still being cleaned, perhaps go for a nice walk ( it was 35 degrees) follow the path along the Lagoon (that looked like a Swamp) until the room was ready, say 30-40 minutes it should be ready” #?!!# The Motel room was booked on-line site unseen $132 for the night. As we drove in we noticed that there was a number of mattresses outside the rooms drying out, stuff flung everywhere so I do wonder what that lady thought of the ‘Lagoon’ and her Renner Spring experience when she finally got in her room. The toilet and shower block should have been blown up and I know someone that had enough explosives to do it :-) Caravan Pks seem to be like photo’s and descriptions of Houses that are up for Sale! The reviews and piccys never quite meet your expectations :-) We stopped there as we had travelled far enough, and it was hot the van was probably 40. It was a ‘soft’ option as if nothing else there was power for the aircon. BB was having withdrawals as he had had no reception on his ‘Optus’ mobile for 3 days! We were still setting up when Paula and Mick surprised us and mentioned that they had Optus coverage, BINGO for BB! No tap Beer so we opted to drink our own and watched 2 of my favourite funny Movies ‘As Good as it Gets’ Jack Nicolson and ‘About a Boy’ Hugh Grant.The following morning I walked past 2 young Asian guys sitting on a wooden bench at the back of the Shower Blocks. Think they were learning , and practising their language skills using an App on their phones. As I was getting organised for my Shower (open windows holes no glass) I over- heard the phone say “The Monster walked to the Village Shop” and then I heard them both trying to repeat it over and over again ha ha When they ‘sort of’ mastered it I heard “The King and the Queen are very rich” and so it went on with more random phrases that will come in handy if you are a backpacker and intend to get a job in a Roadhouse or a Pub in Northern Territory. :-) So many Backpackers up here working. We stopped off at Wauchope Hotel due to thirst and who should jump out of a Colliver Road Train and come straight over to us, Matt Dall a regular customer of ours from Blyth Hotel days!. Matt stopped for a break, we had been wondering why we were seeing so many Army Tanks on the road. Matt told us that there were 49 Road Trains in total going to Darwin., Each towing 3 trailers so carrying 3 Tanks for an Army exercise. Every driver had an army escort in the passenger seat just in case one of the drivers decided to unload a tank and do donuts! they slept in one of the Army Tanks each night with a Swag. $3,500.00 to re fuel. Tonight we are at Ti Tree Roadhouse Hotel/ Caravan Park it's good, park anywhere, cement slab, clean toilets, winning! Had Tea tonight at on-site hotel met some more nice folks great day again today, Alice Springs tomorrow then I believe we will be half-way home.Read more

  • TravelerDarwin 2022
    Day 63

    Re cap Darwin

    August 3, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Re-cap on our month in Darwin I enjoyed it so much I did not make time to write any notes. Bowls played a big part at both Nightcliffe BC and Darwin we left lots of money at both Club’s and spent many hours meeting and chatting to some top people from all around Aus. BB and the boys played 14 days of bowls and yours truly and the girls played 5 which was more than enough for yours truly. . Prize money won between us was pooled and then divied up. Total of $1600, however there was an additional $300 won by the boys for their Triples which was ‘not’ handed into the Banker so it has not been included in my official tally. Apart from Bowls we had outings on our own, and some with company they included meals at Coolalinga Tavern, Howard Springs, Berry Springs & Humpty Doo, The Vue Restaurant at the Casino, Breakfast overlooking the Beach at the Museum, Afternoon Tea at Parliament House, Aviation Museum, Lunch with ‘young’ old friend Judy (Taylor), Crocodylus Park, Berry Springs,movie arvo with BB to see Elvis Movie, then 2 visits to the Movies with Champers and shopping with Vicky and Bev to see Falling for Figaro & Where the Crawdogs Sing, Op Shopping with Vicky was fun as we tried on all the same clothes! Rode on the Big Wheel at Stokes Hill Wharf followed by drinks, visited the Underground WW2 Caves, Fish feeding at Cullen Bay, Sunset Dinner Cruise, Mindil, Nightcliffe, Parap Markets, Shopped in Darwin itself and visits to Casuarina and Gateway Shopping Centres. We stayed at Coolalinga Caravan Park ( 26km out of town on the freeway). A nice spot, flat and shady in the oldest part of the Park. We were not there very long and were joined by Vicky, Gary, Pearl, Bev and Steve so we had quite a big group. BB and I could not have wished for better neighbours with a beaut little family Jade, Shaun, and their two little boys Oliver and Jack on one side and Tony on the other. The Coolalinga Shopping Centre was on the opposite side of the busy Freeway (no pedestraian crossing) I literally risked my life dozens of times crossing that road to shop! I am now quite a fan of food shopping at Coles. It would have been easy to stay in Darwin longer, wake up put on a pair of shorts and then decide what thongs to put on your feet and sit outside to do nothing all day, but all good things come to an end. I arrived in Darwin with a single pair of thongs and have left with 3 extra pairs due to a ‘pop up’ shop in the Coolalinga Shopping Centre.
    We are now solo travellers as the rest of the gang are not as retired as us! currently we are at Bitter Springs NT (thanks to Ros P, Maxine R & Cass) nice little Park the Hot Springs just down the road are awesome, and we are travelling home slowly. Again we have great ‘neighbours’ this time Paula and Mick from WA who are sharing their Noodles with us! Happy hour together last night, dinner date tonight at the on-site restaurant everyone is saying the Pizza’s are awesome. 3 nights spent at Katherine BB did a helicopter flight and together we did the Gorge River Cruise the day ended with BB getting a big win a Trifecta in the Darwin Cup Race, it topped off our stay! Now on our 2nd day here and our air con has not been turned off it is 33 hot and very humid. BB came back from his shower this morning wet and bothered as he reckoned that despite how much he ‘rubbed and rubbed’ he could not get dry. In a rush to get out of the small shower room (no ventilation) he was so flustered he came back to the van with his pants on back to front :-) So I handed him a roll of kitchen paper towel, to dry himself properly! Not much at Mataranka but there is a Centrelink Office located next door to the Hotel. Driving past the Hotel we hummed and arred about going in, in the end it was a “nah” too many sitting on the ground near the door and groups loitering nearby. Finishing off for now, back to the ‘Springs’ again we have had another offer to share noodles. It is not about the places you visit, it is more about all the great people you meet along the way. Watch this happy space :-)    Read more

  • TravelerDarwin 2022
    Day 63

    Cunnamulla

    August 3, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    90km of red dirt roads ahead of us we left Trilby Station Saturday morning. We crossed lots of cattle grid humps, and washed out ‘road’ due to rain damage causing corrugation. I have discovered that the front passenger seats are heated and you need them out back. Every bad bit of road you start thinking about ‘my’ packing jobs and what was happening inside the van. For some reason I seem to be the unlucky one ( all the girls report their vans always stay clean nothing out of place ) whereas, our van looks like someone has left all the drawers and cupboards open, totally ransacked it tossed potatoes and toilet paper and random bits about, then thrown in a shovel full of red dust just to finish it off. BB reckons it is because I have created a travelling supermarket, as every time he tries to get something out of a cupboard random things and packets of food fall out, was I planning to open and Aldi in Darwin! Quick stop in Louth I re sorted the van out, BB got the coffee, and we were back on the dirt again. I am not a ‘preferred’ driver apparently but I do have other jobs. Try to read the map as requested to assure BB that we are not lost and provide general navigation advice. I also clean the ‘drivers’ glasses when requested, unwrap all ‘his’ lollies, ensure 2 way radio is turned on and kept on Channel 40. I am also expected to provide all in car entertainment, and as luck would have it I found a great radio station 585 AM.’Outback Radio’ Great music with hardly any Ads. They play half a dozen well known popular songs from 60’s 80’s. Songs you can sing a long too, as I know the words to most of them I do sing a long, then you get to hear a swag of country music songs. One of the songs they played was called “She thinks my Tractor’s Sexy” the words were so funny I cracked up laughing and then BB spoilt the mood and said he liked the country music blocks the best cos I did not know the words and could not sing a long ha ha . Not sure why BB said before we left that I would get bored with the outback scenery and being in the car rip as I am really enjoying it and having lots of fun. I am thinking it is going to be a long trip to Darwin when I get to plug in my USB stick.
    We arrived in Cunnamulla in the early afternoon and checked into the Caravan Park, we were the lucky ones and scored the ‘worst and muddiest’ site in the Park.
    Sunday morning we had a ‘Café’ cooked breakfast in the Main Street. It was busy, and we found out there was a Race Meeting ‘ the battle of the bush’ at the Cunnamulla Racetrack that day. . So off course, we went with Kotzy and Jo. No TAB the 2 bookies present would have had a better day than all of us! At the end of the meet they tried to auction off a horse that had lost ‘his’ race and the his last 5 starts in a row. No one bought him, BB later said ‘we’ ended up even for the day, which is funny as I did not actually tell him how much I had lost before I gave up and had a few drinks instead. On way home we got lost looking for a particular garage where Diesel was 10cents a litre cheaper for Kotzy. We called out to the Cronulla Weir, and later went out for tea at the Pub only because we had ‘scored’ a free drink voucher which we could not let go to waste. ‘One’ drink obviously our reputation has already spread in the Bush. Hope you like the pictures attached I took 93 at the races alone but only kept half a dozen.    Read more

  • TravelerDarwin 2022
    Day 63

    Trilby Station

    August 3, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    We got to camp alongside the Darling River (in full flood) following the Qld rains at Trilby Station NSW. What bliss, once we got settled in. Beautiful campsites well spread out, majestic trees lush country. The facilities for campers were awesome and the Station itself a credit to it's owners, immaculate and carefully thought out. We all camped in the same area with provisions for our first campfire. We were lucky enough to score power on our site, winning!! so out came the hair straightner, hairdryer, airfryer, slowcooker, and all those things you absolutely need when you are a serious camper. Our water was from our caravan tank so B decided it was best if I used the shared shower facilities half a km up the track, as he reckons I use too much water but it really was quite pleasant walk so I did not complain 'that much' I was not allowed to use my washing machine either so I used the camp one. My first time staying on an outback 'Station' (farm) it was very different to what I imagined. I thought there would be Kelpies rounding up thousands of sheep, a horse ring, and stables cows to be milked everyday, kangaroos running everywhere and there was none of that. The station itself is big 127,000 acres ( or so it said in their book) which is miles apparently, they have their own airfield aeroplane and chopper so they can go out each day, to try to findand round up the livestock. Hence the only 'livestock' I saw on my walks was a very friendly and well fed Staffy, a black and white cat and some Chooks. So it felt like I had visited a Zoo with no animals. We had a very interesting day and tour of Dunlop station which also had no 'livestock' to be seen it was once a 1 million acre station, that sounds like the size of France to me. The owner has kept the old homestead very "a la naturale" as the times in which it was built, however when I saw the bathroom and shower I thought she was a very special and brave type of woman to live with such exceptional bathroom facilites (picture attached) I had nightmares about the taps and cleaning the actual shower recess last night. We crossed the border today to Connumulla (Qld) for (2) nights and have noticed it is a couple of degrees warmer. Bear is still wearing the same black fur lined 'Aldi' work jacket from home and his shorts and I am hoping to peel the jacket off him in the next week so I can wash it. Can't wait to move further North, bring on the shorts and thongs.Read more

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