Julie and I had not been to Darwin for 37 and 20 years respectively. So maybe it’s changed a bit, right? The city was named after Charles Darwin, was a key point in the settlement of the north, bombed 53 times by the Japanese, almost wiped out by Cyclone Tracey and now a prosperous middle-sized town with well-tended parks and its own territory-within-Australia culture. We loved it.
Continue reading →Kakadu deserves its reputation as one of the most unique places in Australia. Its rich biodiversity of flora and fauna, its human history spanning more than 40,000 years, its unique relationship between the weather, plants and animals and its stunning geographic features makes it truly special. We tried to absorb as much as possible but three features really stood out for us – the stunning rock art in three unforgettable … Continue reading →
Many of the places in Kakadu, as in most of northern Australia, have both an Aboriginal name and a western name. This is not uncommon as the two worlds continually adjust their relationship and naming rights become a key issue. For instance, Ayers Rock is now Uluru, Katherine Gorge is now Nitmiluk and the Bungle Bungles are now Purnululu. In Kakadu most places have two names and this causes a moment … Continue reading →
When we started planning for this trip, if you can call it planning at all, there were two areas we wanted to make sure we saw as thoroughly as possible – Kakadu and the Kimberley. Kakadu National Park is a vast area roughly south and east of Darwin in the Northern Territory and west of monstrous Arnhem Land. We finally made it after more than 20 years of talking … Continue reading →
The temperature was getting close to 35 degrees, the only relief being the infrequent bits of shade behind scraggy gums and the outback breeze that blew across the land. We kept pushing on, determined to reach our goal, hoping the heat wouldn’t make us turn back. And then, almost unexpectedly, we came to the lookout, the end of the trail, and below us in both directions was the steep red … Continue reading →
When venturing into the surf or rivers of the Northern Territory you always have to take heed of the many signs warning you of the possibility of crocodiles. Freshwater crocs, which are more prevalent in the rivers, are harmless and shy – they will usually swim away quickly if accidentally confronted. But saltwater crocs, which are also seen in fresh water, are a completely different story. They are aggressive and … Continue reading →
Arnhem Land is a vast part of the Northern Territory, bigger than many countries and at the very heart of the origins of civilisation on this continent. Today it is owned and managed by a range of Aboriginal clans that have occupied this land for tens of thousands of years. But visiting this land is not easy; there are permits to obtain, incredibly long dirt tracks to drive, restrictions on … Continue reading →
The Northern Territory is marked by vast unmarked and uninhabited spaces, long dusty roads and as we learned, beautiful sunsets. But as we slowly moved north, sometimes very slowly, we were on the hunt for lost cities. We knew about them, we had read about them and we were getting closer. But bad roads and beautiful places slowed us down until we finally found what we were looking for.
Continue reading →The vast spaces around the Gulf of Carpentaria are famous for crocodiles, barramundi and…well…vast spaces. We left Cape York and headed toward the Gulf across long dirt tracks, frequent water crossings, endless Aussie scrub and a relentless dust that found its way into every nook and cranny of our truck, our equipment and ourselves. There’s no escaping the dust, that’s for sure, but it comes as part of an overall … Continue reading →
The remote unpopulated areas of Australia are usually divided up into huge stations which generally run cattle or sheep over vast distances. They feature dry scrubby land, unreliable water and a harsh hot climate. These stations represent a core foundation of how Australia prospered in years past and makes up an essential element of Australia today. The people who live in these remote outback locations are honest hard working tough … Continue reading →
Some corners of Australia are almost forgotten due to the immense size and scope of the continent. One area we had spied on an earlier trip which we felt needed more exploration was the uninhabited area north of Cooktown in far north Queensland called Cape Melville. Covered by untracked national parks and Aboriginal land the Cape is often overshadowed by its much bigger brother Cape York. But in one of the … Continue reading →
Our days north through Queensland travelling on a series of the inland country roads reminded us of how huge Australia is. We constantly underestimated the progress we could make on a day of driving, despite our relatively early starts and willingness to do long hours in the mighty Cruiser. Of course we were delayed occasionally by taking photos of the beautiful scenery, stopping in community markets in small country towns … Continue reading →
The big Land Cruiser slowly rolled down the driveway and pulled out onto our street. With that momentous movement it started a journey we had been dreaming about for almost 20 years and had feverishly been preparing for the last four weeks – a three month circumnavigation of Australia. The opportunity had come sooner than we expected and with less run-up for preparation but here we were driving down our … Continue reading →
Everyone loves weddings. And the closer you are to the lucky couple the more exciting the big event is and the more meaningful is the occasion. For the father of his only daughter it doesn’t get more special then when he walks her down the aisle. And so it was for me, one of the proudest moments of my life when Anna and I slowly walked through the middle of a … Continue reading →
The best time of year to be in Bangkok is December and January. Magnificent Christmas decorations fill every store and span every street in an annual attempt to remind millions of Buddhists to buy numerous gifts and eat too much with their family and friends. The weather is relatively cool and the city takes on a relaxed holiday atmosphere. And every year at this time we leave Bangkok and go … Continue reading →
The more birthdays you have, the less you count them and the less you celebrate them, right? And if you’re in the 50-somethings, like I am, there’s no need to get carried away with wild attention-getting activities. But a recent business trip to Sydney meant I was with our three kids for my birthday and we all got together for a memorable day together.
Continue reading →We are probably destined never to spend a Christmas in Thailand which is a real shame because it is such a festive season and the Thais know how to do festive better than anyone, even if it isn’t officially part of their religion. But our destination for the festive season was Sydney, a much anticipated break to reunite with our family and friends, put on a few kilos and enjoy … Continue reading →
30 October….Family, sport and travel seem like three good ways to fill one’s leisure time and that’s pretty much what we’ve been doing lately. Unfortunately we’ve also had to deal with the massive flooding in and around Bangkok as the late season heavy rains have swamped all rivers and canals and the people of Northern Thailand have suffered enormously as a result.
Continue reading →12 January, 2011….In Thailand less than 1% of the population is Christian so you would logically think that Christmas would be a total non-event in this country. Well, think again. At least here in Bangkok where consumerism, capitalism and entrepreneurialism are driving so much growth Christmas is seen more as an excuse to gather with friends and family, go shopping and spend money. Does it have any religious significance – … Continue reading →
