Here we are, based in Kununurra and have a full schedule around the Kimberley for the next few weeks. We are staying at the Kimberley Land Caravan Park.

Yesterday we left the park at 7:00 to do some walks at a small national park. We did one of the walks, but I was feeling sick again so I skipped next one. We were back at the park for morning tea and spent the afternoon relaxing in the pool and air conditioned van.

Today we got up and drove 45 minutes to Lake Argyle, the biggest lake in the Southern Hemisphere and had an awesome two hour cruise around the lake. On the way home we stopped for a peek at the Durack homestead Museum where they had restored the original homestead and had it open to the public Another relaxing afternoon followed.

We packed up camp yesterday and left Katherine. Our next stop was Victoria River at a cheap roadhouse and we were back on the road by ten. We have been driving for about two hours with a quick morning tea stop at Timber Creek.

To tell you the truth, I am happy to be on the go again, even though I have been feeling sick today, and of course that doesn’t stop the parents from drilling us with school work.

We hope to get to Kununurra today, just over the WA border, so by tonight I should be two hours behind all of you.

We didn’t climb Uluru, regardless of Sam’s pleas that the weather would be good. ;(

The next day was just as, if not more windy than the previous. We didn’t do much more in Uluru. We headed straight for King’s Canyon, where we stayed two nights.

That was where we did a 6 km walk around the rim of the canyon, a walk I would recommend to anyone. It was amazing. A steep climb to the top of the canyon and along the freaky edge of the cliff. Then we when down into The Garden of Eden at the end of the canyon, back up and back to the car park. By the end we were all exhausted but thrilled to have walk along the rim.

We didn’t headed back up the Stuart Highway and North for another two days because of a clogged fuel filter but, with a quick stop in Alice Springs again and a roadside camp, we made it into Katherine where we are currently staying. We have been having a pit-stop here for the last few days and I really should have caught up on my blog sooner. But unfortunately I’ve been enjoying the stay so much I forgot!

My Aunty Liz lives here in Katherine and we are staying on the property that she lives on in a cute little granny flat. We have been going to the highly favoured hot springs that are located near by, almost every day. We also threw some cherapin pots in to the river and caught a couple of good-sized ones, along with some tiny fish. Between that and baking, reading books, bike riding, watching movies, regretfully doing school work and even building a little fort in a tree, we’ve managed to keep pretty busy!

Now I must tell you about the four legged friends we have here cause they are all so funny!

The two dogs live up at the big house where the actually owners live. One is called Gretel, a nosy little mop of a dog. She literally looks like a mop!

Then there are the horses, who hang around the granny flat and get feed down here. First, there is a Shetland cross something that is a tall as my thigh! Jimmy is a busy body who has often had to be herded out of the yard after getting into the compost!

The other horses are getting on in years and are quieter! A appaloosa cross, Gymoon and two tall, good looking Arabs, Zac and (something I can’t remember). Zac love to show his affection by licking your hand till it’s covered in slobber!

We leave for Kununurra in a couple of days, depending on when Dad can get the car in for a service before we go.

But I must say that this pit-stop has been enjoyable and I’m going to want another one somewhere along the way!

;D

I’m Lauren reporting live from Uluru, home of the world largest rock and largest cheese grater.

So we spent yesterday driving to Uluru and now here we are, visiting Ayre’s Rock and The Olgas.  We started the day with Sam, Mum and I getting up at 6:30 to see the sun rise over Ayre’s rock (Dad and the girls were still asleep). Then we all had breakfast and headed out to the National Park.

We would have climbed to the top of Ayre’s Rock but it was closed because of the windy weather. Instead we did a guided walk to a waterhole at the base of the rock called Mala. The cheese grater thing was something we learned from the tour guide. The surface of the rock is like a cheese grater in that it is made of rusted shingles (like house roof shingles) of sandstone which point up rather than down as they peel of the rock. The result of someone sliding down Uluru is similar to the result of an apple on a cheese grater. Not pretty.

We drove to the Olgas and did the walk to the Valley of the Winds, where the wind was so loud you could hardly hear people speak! After that it was already one so we came back to the van for an early dinner of barbequed sausages and kangaroo and then drove back out to the park to watch the sunset and turn the rock from bright orange, to deep red, to dark purple.

Tonight has been an early night for everyone and a hope that tomorrow will be more promising in regards to the climb (Sam was really disappointed that it was closed).

The Red Centre, The Heart of Australia is where we are at the moment. We worked across from Charters Towers to Mount Isa were we went on a underground and surface mine tour and explored the whole city for a couple of days. Then we crossed the border to Alice Springs, stopping overnight on the side of the road half way.

So here we are in Alice Springs. Today’s big thing was this morning when Dad took us all FLYING! He hired a private plane and flew us all around Alice Springs and The Red Centre. We got to see the Macdonnell Ranges and Simpson’s Gap. The plane was really noisy and you had to yell to be heard. I felt a bit head-achy at the end because of all the noise and the constant bumping of the plane but it was totally worth it!

This afternoon we have been relaxing and I have caught up on some emails. We head to Uluru tomorrow I believe and we will visit some of the places we flew over today!

We’ve worked our way all the way up the coast to the top, Cooktown and then back down to Charters Towers where we are right now. We are staying at a lovely big four with a swimming pool and jumping pillow.

Today we spent the morning relaxing from the busy last few days in the pool and on the pillow. We had a plowman’s lunch and then the parents and son went to see a few sights and I babysat the girls who didn’t want to go. The other three arrived back for a quick afternoon tea and we headed into town to visit a cute little toy shop that made old fashion toys. A lovely Christian lady ran it and she was so kind and gave us a few things free. We also bought a Chinese Checkers set and a harmonica which both Sam and I are determined to learn to play. There were so many cute things, even an old fashion telephone that actually hooked up!

Then it was dinner and a last jump on the jumping pillow in the moonlight!!

Sunday was good ol’ country Rodeo in Mareeba. We watched brave cowboys/girls  ride buck jumpers bareback, barrel race and jump off their horse to wrestle a steer to the ground. Then i went with The Boldens to look at a horse they are thinking of buying and the others headed back to the caravan. We all met at the van for pizza afterwards and then said goodbyes.

Yesterday we drove from Cairns to Daintree where we are staying now. We went on a boat cruise down the river near us this morning, saw a couple of crocodile and tree snakes and have been relaxing in the van ever since. I think we are going on a lovely scenic drive soon!

Today was a day for catching up with our friends, the Boldens. Michael, Lauren and Sam had chatted to them at the church service last night, and had made arrangements that, as well as going over there for lunch today, Lauren, Sam and Michael were going to meet up with Stephen (the Dad) and Caitlin (the daughter who is Lauren’s age and also horse-mad like Lauren) to go ride Caitlin’s horse. She’s had the horse for a couple of years, and Stephen also likes riding it, but they have found it is not the right personality for Caitlin after all – a bit too ‘rebellious’. But since Lauren and Sam are not beginner riders, they said it should be OK for them to ride her. So Stephen and Caitlin came by the van park around 10am to pick up those guys. Meanwhile I took Hannah and Bethany over to the pool for a swim, which they really enjoyed. I also had a bit of time reading and blogging. At 12.30, the others arrived back at the van – having enjoyed the riding, but feeling hot and sweaty as it was a humid day today. They changed etc, and then we all got in the car, went to Woolworths to get some salads and bread to take for the lunch, then went to the Boldens house which was not far away. 

We had a lovely lunch and a lovely time chatting away the afternoon. Lauren and Caitlin, and Sam and Ryan reconnected (they had last met each other about 6 yrs ago) and had a great time together. The Boldens had a pool, so they went for a swim again. Hannah and Bethany didn’t have any new playmates as Caitlin and Ryan were the only Bolden children, but they got to have a swim and play with some new duplo (which Karen kept for times like this I think). We ended up staying until almost dinner time and then came back to the van. But before we left, they had told us about a rodeo happening in Mareeba (1 hr away) tomorrow that they had been thinking of going to. We had never been to a rodeo before, but Caitlin had described to Lauren and Sam the horse-type things that happened there and they thought it sounded interesting. So we made plans to meet up with the Boldens again the next day at the rodeo. This meant staying an extra night in Cairns – but the van park office was already closed – so we would have to check with them in the morning if we could stay put one more night.

Today was mostly a catch-up day. Michael actually had to skype  in to a board meeting for Insitec from 8.00-10.00. I supervised the children doing schoolwork during this time. My thinking with schoolwork is have them doing a little bit but often. We also started the first of 2 loads of washing for the day.

Then I had to take Bethany to a doctor as she had a sore on her heel which had caused her to wake up several times last night with pain. It looked like a swollen up blister which we thought might need lancing and have antibiotics prescribed. This is exactly what happened. We’re not sure when she got it or what it was from, but possibly a cut from coral or something at Green Island.  While out, I did a small grocery shop. Then back to the caravan park.

The others were in the pool with Michael supervising them. While the day wasn’t as sunny as yesterday, it wasn’t raining and the pool temperature was quite nice. Bethany wasn’t allowed to swim just yet, but she played on the playground for a bit and came back to the caravan with me to rest a bit more. There were BBQs beside the pool so Michael cooked some sausages and I’d bought fresh rolls and we had a yummy lunch sitting beside the pool.

We went back to the caravan for a bit of a rest time, then mid- afternoon we brought in the clothes that were dry, packed up some afternoon tea and swimmers etc and headed towards the Cairns foreshore/esplanade area. There was a water play area for younger children and a saltwater lagoon for all ages, with a sandy beach area at one end.  We went to the saltwater lagoon. It was buzzing with activity – lots of people there. It was quite a nice temperature and no wind today.  The older 3 children swam and Bethany played on the sand and at the playground. It was a lovely relaxing atmosphere, looking out over Trinity Bay (the main beach/bay cairns is located around) whilst watching the children.

We eventually decide it was time to head back and get some dinner ready. Also Michael, Lauren and Sam were going to a church service tonight which started at 7pm. We had contacted the Boldens – some friends of our we knew from Before we were married. They had been living in Maryborough for quite a few years, but just moved up to Cairns at the beginning of this year. They weren’t able to do dinner with us while we were here because their church was doing a group of night time sessions with international speakers, and they were helping out. We were booked to have lunch with them on Saturday (tomorrow), but they had also invited us to any of the night time services if we were interested. Michael, Lauren and Sam decided to go tonight. Luckily the church was only 5mins from where we were staying, so they had a quick dinner and were away. I had a slower dinner with Hannah and Bethany and then put them to bed. Then had a quiet night reading.

Since I last blogged we have been through Bowen, Townsville, Mission Beach and now we are here in Cairns. During that time we went to Magnetic Island and Green Island and explored Townsville and all Mum’s old memories.

We have been in Cairns two days. The first we went to Green Island where we went snorkelling, scuba diving and scared hungry little birds away from our food.
Yesterday we spent the whole day around the caravan park pool, a barbecue lunch and then heading to the public lagoon pool which was good fun.
Last night Dad, Sam and I went to night church with some family friends who live up here. The worship was loud and upbeat which was really fun. The speaker gave a good message too.
Today we have been relaxing in the caravan. I am waiting for the Boldens ( the family friends ) to come and pick me up and take me out before we all go to their house for lunch.
The weather isn’t looking the nicest today. Very overcast and a little shower earlier this morning. Hopefully it will clear up this afternoon.
Thankyou to all my friends back home who have commented! I love you guys!
So far, Cairns has been good fun!