August 4 - Mission Beach

We met some people in the camp kitchen on our first night here - got talking and it turns out Danielle is Sean O'Sullivan's sister - small world! We've had some fun with them - although this mornings training session not one of the highlights - but swimming, sitting around the pool and the camp kitchen banter has all been fun. Steve and Danielle have 2 boys, ages 9 and 11 so Jack and Em are pretty thick with them. Bridget made a friend, Kelsey from W.A. (finally met someone her age) - but they were only here for 2 days and have left this morning. Steve and Danielle are also heading to Airlie Beach in a few days to get on a yacht - I'm sure we'll bump into them sailing around the Whitsundays somewhere! Yesterday we went into Mission Beach and Bridget got a spunky new bikini and Emmy some neck to knee rashie and boardies (one extreme to the other)!

Weather a bit crappy today - we had to put our awning up for the first time in weeks as it is a bit wet. Thought we'd go for a drive into Innisfail and hopefully purchase some new, much needed camp chairs! Until next time - cheerio!

Having fun on the waterslide (yesterday)!

August 2 - Mission Beach

Hi all,
It's been a while since I updated the blog as we have spent the last 5 or so days travelling from NT to QLD and it certainly has been a bit taxing - we've been doing between 400kms-700kms each day and we finally arrived in Townsville yesterday all set for a few relaxing days. We ended up at the hole of all holes caravan parks - felt like we were camping on the Hume Highway but add trains into the equation as well - absolutely terrible - we originally booked for 2 nights but bailed this morning and headed to Mission Beach a day early. The Townsville highlight was we caught up with our old friends Foxy and Althea which was really good. They relocated from Melbourne to Townsville 3 years ago and love it - they live on their yacht in the marina and both have jobs with the Great Barrier Reef Authority.

After a restock this morning we headed up the road (2 hours) to Mission Beach. Great spot - was hoping to have a cocktail or two on Dunk Island but it is closed due to cyclone Yasi. The town has copped a bit of a battering - lots of trees down. The caravan park is great - our site is right opposite the resort style pool and we are just across from the beach. The kids have just got out of the pool and are now in the games room having a great time. We are here until Saturday so lots of relaxing to be had. Then we head to Airlie Beach to meet Mum and Poppy on Sunday - looking forward to that - it will be great to catch up!

Yesterday on the drive from Hughenden to Townsville we stop to get some fruit on the side of the road and spot this trailer with three pups - free to good home - well you can imagine our three - we couldn't get them out of the trailer and then Emily basically cried all the way to Townsville - of course they all wanted to bring them home!

The pool at our caravan park - Mission Beach

The Beach - it's absolutely beautiful!

July 30 - Mt Isa

We finally completed the mammoth trip from Tennant Creek to Mt Isa - there's just a whole lot of nothing (I was quite nervous about this part of the trip - there are no service stations for approx 200kms, twice)! See pic below to prove it. However I did see 2 snakes and 3 lizards and basically the horizon - sorry not much to report today - just to say that the kids were great - travelled from 8am - 4pm with 2 short stops - we did spelling and maths competitions and we purchased a boxed set of Modern Family so that keeps them entertained in between the school work and an hour or two of sing-a-longs. Tomorrow we have another long day in the car (probably an hour less than today) - we will spend the night at Hughenden - then Monday we will arrive in Townsville.

Daly Waters Pub

The view all day today from the car - just nothing not even a tree to see!

July 27 - Bachelor (Litchfield Park), NT

We all enjoyed a lazy morning and then headed into Florence Falls and then Blueys Rockpools for an afternoon of swimming - it was great! Although I can't believe you are driving along these dessert roads not really seeing anyone, then you pull into the carpark of the waterhole (still not really siting humans) - and then, OMG - there are so many people swimming - it still amazes me - you'd swear there was no-one out here!

July 26 Darwin to Litchfield Park

Girls at the nail bar in Darwin having a pedicure - very spoilt!

Yesterday at Wangi Falls, Litchfield Park. We only made it to Wangi Falls, had lunch at a gourmet cafe out in the middle of nowhere and then spent the afternoon at Bluey's Rockpools swimming - it was so hot! Will take some photos there today.

We're all feeling very chilaxed this morning - Em in the pool, Phil reading and Jack and Bridge playing mini golf. We had a cook up of the fish the boys caught on the fishing trip last night so quite a big night! Today we are going to Florence Falls and back to the rockpools and that might just about do us - early night on the agenda I think. Tomorrow back to Mataranka for one night (looking forward to that) and then a couple of big days driving - destination - East Coast!

July 25 - Darwin

The boys had a great day fishing today - Jack caught a shark! (see pics below). Bridge, Em and I had a lovely day shopping, lunch and finishing the day off with a spa pedicure - very pleasant indeed. Have enjoyed very short stay in Darwin but really keen to get back to the outdoors - not interested in the big towns - the small places, especially within National Parks are by far the most enjoyable - country chic at heart!

See below pics of our Hunting and Gathering tour with our aboriginal tour guide, Patsy.

July 24 - Darwin

Arrived Darwin early afternoon. Set up camp and then went to the Wave Pool and WW2 tunnels, then Mindil Market. Mindil Market is a twilight market - we got there around 4pm and ate our way through it - there is every cuisine you can think of - even fresh oysters/kilpatrick etc! We met up with our travelling buddies and all sat on the beach with our dinner and watched the most amazing sunset (can't upload any pics today as Phil has the camera but watch this space!) We had a lovely night roaming around the market - I purchased a few sun dresses and we bought a family holiday reminder - a didgerdoo - Jack hasn't stopped playing it since - you may see him sitting on street corners in Hampton in the coming months doing a bit of busking! He loves it and is actually quite good - the two lessons he had have really helped!

Phil and Jack and some of the other boys and dads have gone deep sea fishing today off Darwin - they left at 5am and won't be back until 3pm - which gives us girls plenty of time for a bit of shopping, lunching and a pedicure could also be on the agenda - a nice girlie day sounds great - mind you have to fit in the grocery shopping as tomorrow morning we head off to Litchfield Park and then commence our journey south again to Three Ways where we will head to the East Coast - hopefully arriving Townsville 1 August. Remember - will post current pics on my next post - until then, Ciao