Gone north for winter

June - July 2018

What's the best way to enjoy a Melbourne winter? Go somewhere warmer and drier. Read more

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Traveler Gone north for winter
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- Jun 15, 2018, 7:00am
- ⛅ 9 °C
- Altitude: 100 m
- Australia Victoria Hume Tullamarine Airport -37.678744, 144.85257437°40’43” S 144°51’9” E
Day 1
Leaving, on a jet plane
June 15, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
Traveler ..... All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go ...
6/24/18Reply
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Traveler Gone north for winter
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- Jun 15, 2018, 10:00pm
- 🌙 8 °C
- Altitude: 830 m
- Australia Northern Territory MacDonnell Ayers Rock Uluru National Park -25.344064, 131.03643525°20’39” S 131°2’11” E
Day 1
First, the first day, a day of firsts.
June 15, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 8 °C
A few firsts on the first day - first post, first full self check-in at the airport with luggage, first free upgrade car rental, first time at The Big Pebble. It really is an awesome lump of stone.
Traveler Your first like on your post! The rock is an awesome sight.
6/15/18Reply
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Traveler Gone north for winter
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- Jun 16, 2018, 6:12pm
- 🌙 17 °C
- Altitude: 514 m
- Australia Northern Territory MacDonnell Ayers Rock Uluru -25.354828, 131.02563125°21’17” S 131°1’32” E
Day 2
The sun sets but shall rise again
June 16, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
The early mornings in central Australia can be icy cold but well worth setting the alarm clock and donning a good jacket for a look at The Big Pebble as the dawn approaches and finally peeps above the horizon to start another day. Meanwhile, the poor cousins down the road, The Little Pebbles enjoy basking in the welcome sunshine to thaw out after enduring the cold night.

Our second day brought more firsts - first time on a Boeing 717 and first time on a flight that departed 15 mins early.Read more
The World on Two Wheels Enjoy your train trip and your time up north :-)
6/20/18Reply
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Traveler Gone north for winter
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- Jun 17, 2018, 11:00pm
- 🌙 6 °C
- Altitude: 560 m
- Australia Northern Territory Alice Springs Desert Springs -23.716009, 133.87938323°42’58” S 133°52’46” E
Day 3
Sunday sermon
June 17, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 6 °C
This is my first time in NT (a short transit at Darwin airport some years back does not count). There are three things that stand out when first arriving in Alice Springs - the surrounding ranges, the roller shutters on many downtown buildings and the number of indigenous people loitering in the streets including a few begging.
Many people know my feelings about the poor way white Australians have treated indigenous people over the last 200+ years (it scares me to think that 1/4 of that has been in my lifetime). What has been, has been and we can't change that. I think things have improved in more recent times but clearly we have a long way to go. "White Australia" is no longer just white and British, we have moved on from that and have become a multi-cultural society, though some people are having trouble accepting that. I don't have answers but clearly there's a problem needing more effort to resolve regarding how the new Australians can live in better harmony with each other and in harmony with the indigenous people and culture we have displaced. Boomerangs and aboriginal art are Australian icons, found in every tourist shop in Australia so why do we still celebrate our national day on the day discounts the existence of the people who have been here for thousands of years before?
One thing is for certain is that every day, even here in Alice, the sun rises and sets.Read more
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- Jun 18, 2018, 12:00pm
- 🌬 12 °C
- Altitude: 568 m
- Australia Northern Territory Alice Springs Meyers Hill -23.70656, 133.8817423°42’24” S 133°52’54” E
Day 4
There's no town like Alice
June 18, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 12 °C
Some shots from Alice Springs ...
We hired a car at fairly short notice. After the excellent service from Hertz at Ayers Rock (the airport uses this name, the big pebble is called Uluru), we used them again here. The car was good, the service less so.Read more
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- Jun 19, 2018, 5:00pm
- ☀️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 7 m
- Australia Northern Territory East Arm Darwin Railway Station -12.47318, 130.9039412°28’23” S 130°54’14” E
Day 5
A little train trip
June 19, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
The Ghan has been an iconic Australian rail journey for many years. Whilst it was once an epic trip with several legs with train changes and a variety of rail gauges en route from Adelaide to Alice Springs, it is now an easy 3 day/2 night tour extended through to Darwin.
The rooms are quite small but most of the time is spent in the dining and lounge cars, watching the countryside passing by and chatting with others. Aside from a mid night stop at Tennant Creek for a driver change and perhaps refueling, the only stop between Alice and the top end is a 4 hour stop at Katherine, just long enough for a trip to the gorge.
Whilst the gorge looks like a lovely place for a dip, the crocodile nesting signs on the beaches, the odd freshwater croc sightings and the appetising (to crocs) buoys strategically placed for checking whether the teeth marks are fresh or saltwater jaws are enough to keep me out of the water.
Another interesting sight in Katherine was the sky crowded with whistling kites (featered ones).
Whilst my hair is well on its way back to the blond of younger years, it seems not far enough for a journey such as this.😁Read more
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- Jun 20, 2018, 6:00pm
- ☀️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 49 m
- Australia Northern Territory Darwin Lameroo Beach -12.46306, 130.8388112°27’47” S 130°50’20” E
Day 6
Craving for a good coffee
June 20, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Just nicked downstairs to the local cafe to kickstart the day. Next thing I know, I'm sipping a coffee in an outer suburban shopping center wondering how that happened. Never mind, as they say, happy wife happy life. You do learn a few things about a city by going somewhere random and see what you see.
Buses are free for seniors.
You see what the local roads and housing are like.
Sometimes you get a pair of transit police riding with you.
Some traffic lights have count down timers for pedestrians so they know how long they have to cross the road. Better than getting a red light when there is still time for an oldie with a wheelie thingy to cross twice.
Back down town at the harbor front, there's a nice wave pool and beach area protected by a sea wall so you can jump some waves or lie in the sun without being disturbed by pesky reptiles. You may finish up with crocodile skin but at least you won't be inside one.Read more
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- Jun 21, 2018, 5:00pm
- ☀️ 29 °C
- Altitude: Sea level
- Australia Northern Territory Darwin East Point East Point Reserve -12.40947, 130.8353212°24’34” S 130°50’7” E
Day 7
On the buses
June 21, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
A free day today - buses are free for seniors. Put our lives at risk doing the mangrove walk and boardwalk. Quite a relief to know that it's not the season for angry box jellies, just those pesky crocs to worry about. Fortunately the boardwalk has a croc-proof fence. The rocks exposed by low tide are always tempting to explore but those croc signs are a good reminder to keep well away from the water. One must remember that where there's water, there may be crocs and the ones you don't see are more dangerous than the ones you do. Lots of interesting clothes and other stuff at the Mindil beach market. First croc i actually saw today was on the BBQ.Read more
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- Jun 22, 2018, 5:00pm
- ☀️ 30 °C
- Altitude: 14 m
- Australia Northern Territory Jim Jim Creek -12.90896, 132.5206212°54’32” S 132°31’14” E
Day 8
Kakadu, Australia
June 22, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Did a short boat cruise on Yellow Water Lagoon near Cooinda, Kakadu. Quite a variety of bird life and crocs of course. Pretty awesome.
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- Jun 23, 2018, 4:00pm
- ☀️ 30 °C
- Altitude: 17 m
- Australia Northern Territory West Arnhem Oenpelli Oenpelli Hill -12.32967, 133.0683512°19’47” S 133°4’6” E
Day 9
Awesome Arnhem Land
June 23, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Brolgas, Jabirus, Whistling Kites, Rainbow Bee Eaters, awesome scenery. No wonder the aborigines have loved and cared for this land for tens of thousands of years. Crossing the East Alligator River (ford crossing) can be treacherous at times not everyone makes it and with crocs everywhere, nobody wants to get them out.Read more
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