| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 |
This is brilliant!! Adam Hills is brilliant. I saw this ages ago, but I'd totally forgotten about it.
I'm not a huge fan of people messing around with the national anthem. It bugged me in the lead up to Australia Day when one of the cable channels changed all the words to advertise some Australia Day thing they were doing.
But this is so good! I love it!! I would so love to see our national anthem changed to this!
The seasoned traveller has once again returned. Exhausted and seemingly perpetually sleepy, but happy and well. This despite a somewhat frightening incident on Monday afternoon when we blew a tyre and rolled the vehicle ... twice! I will at some point post photos of the now essentially destroyed vehicle - it's rather terrifying to see them, especially when you think I was sitting in the passenger seat when it happened.
Rather incredibly though, we both walked away from the accident for the most part unharmed. I have a few rather nasty bruises to show for it, and I bumped my head on something, so got loaded into an ambulance and taken to the local hospital to be checked out. Nothing to report though, and a short time later my uncle and the tow truck called in to pick me up.
We were on the way home, and just north of Charleville, so after a good night's rest in Charleville that night we picked up a hire car on Tuesday morning and transferred all our gear across, then drove home. The wrecked vehicle remains in Charleville and it is now up to the insurance company to sort it out. We expect they'll write it off though ... I'd be awfully surprised if they don't.
That's one way to add some excitement to the end of a holiday I suppose! The timing could have been far worse though, as it didn't affect our travels in any major way ... we were already heading home. We place all the blame on the tyres. They were meant to be brilliant ... best available. Coopers. I'll never touch them again ever ... they're absolute rubbish. This was the fourth one we blew ... the first three my uncle was able to maintain control. This last one just went down too quickly. A lesson learnt I guess.
The rest of our trip was incredible! A trip of a lifetime. I never thought I'd get to see so much of Australia. It's such a huge, fascinating country! I've taken over 2600 photos, so in time I will upload them to Flickr and then I'll post about the different adventures we had ... with photos included. It has to be more interesting to read about stuff when I can show what I'm talking about as well. Otherwise, if I try to sum up the entire holiday in one go the post will never end. Hardly fun.
So more soon! Meanwhile, I'm back, gradually resurfacing on various messenger programs and will hopefully catch up with everyone soon! A little over a week until uni starts back ... a decent break and with any luck enough time to achieve everything I want to before being inundated with study once again. I hope!
Well, we're on the way! Currently in Kunanurra, WA. We crossed the NT/WA border earlier this morning, after leaving Darwin yesterday morning. The weather is incredibly beautiful! Blue skies, not a cloud in sight. It was incredibly, almost unbearably warm in Darwin on Wednesday, but we headed off from there yesterday morning and it's been lovely since. The air-con in the vehicle is no doubt helping with that!
Heading to the Bungle Bungles tonight ... can't wait. We did a cruise on the Victoria River late yesterday afternoon ... spotted a few crocs, and various other forms of wildlife. Watched the sun set ... it was gorgeous! We check out Wolfe Creek Crater tomorrow, then start the Canning Stock Route. Going well, and making good time! Ooh, and survived the night under the stars in the swag last night! I could get used to this I think!! Better go ... heading out of range again now. More news from Uluru!
I just checked in and printed my boarding pass! This time tomorrow night I'll be on a plane heading to Darwin, and I already know I'll be sitting by the window. Checking in before even arriving at the airport seems somehow counter-productive. Convenient though!
So Semester One is officially over, for me at least. I handed my last assignments in this morning, presented my drama micro-lesson to the class, caught up with the crew for coffee one last time, then left uni in rather high spirits ... albeit slowly due to the crutches.
My foot is still broken, but I believe it is healing. I'm done with the crutches. I detest them ... they cause more pain to my hands and arms than walking does to my foot. I've spent the last two weeks keeping weight off my foot ... hopefully that's enough. I may take a ridiculous looking walking stick with me though, to help take the weight a little. Plus, I'm hoping my lovely new hiking boots will help a bit. And we'll be spending a fair bit of time in the car. Fingers crossed all will be fine.
I think I'm just about ready to go. I have a to-do list that I'm working through slowly. I still have to pack, but I have a pretty good list of what needs to be packed. Most of it has already gone ... my uncle left here on Thursday, so I put as much into the vehicle as possible. He's already in the Northern Territory ... should get to Darwin sometime tomorrow. I arrive tomorrow night, then we spend a couple of days stocking up and getting sorted ... then head off. Exciting!
Meanwhile, I need to get some sleep! I can't believe how tired I am ... it's crazy. This semester has been awfully draining ... everyone has said so, it's not just me. Crazy though, seeing as this was my "lazy semester" ... only three subjects and no outside work, yet still I'm more exhausted than I was last semester. I'm blaming the evil literacy subject. Evil, I say!
It's fractured! I'm on crutches for the next two weeks. Likely to take six weeks to heal. How ridiculously bad is my timing? Can't believe it. I keep shaking my head and laughing at myself. Then getting annoyed. Then laughing again. It's ridiculous!
The x-ray findings state: "There is a horizontal fracture through the base of the left 5th metatarsal without displacement." It's really easy to see on the x-rays. Explains the severe pain. And I continued to walk on it for over 36 hours. Clever.
My foot is now strapped, and I'm on crutches. Could have had plaster, but the doctor suggested it wasn't necessary if I'm careful to stay off it. Works for me. I'm slowly getting the hang of the crutches, but not a huge fan. I have the forearm ones ... might end up changing to underarm ones. Meanwhile, I'm keeping my foot up as much as I can.
I told the doctor about my travel plans. He said I should go. I won't be doing much hiking now, but I can still sit in the 4wd. He even said I might be right to drive after a while. I'll hopefully be off the crutches before I go, then just taking it easy. Gradually using it more. By the time we get in to central Australia, I'll hopefully be walking okay. That's almost six weeks away still. Doubt I'll be climbing the rock though!
Life got busy again. It always does. All kinds of stuff happening. Gumnuts started ... a new Guide unit for 5 and 6 year olds. Eleven girls came along for the sign up day! They were all born this century ... how to make a girl feel old! At uni, assignments are all coming due ... I really should be spending more time working on them. Hard to prioritise, although my stress levels at the moment are surprisingly quite low. Not sure how much longer that will lost.
Loads to organise for the outback trip. Accommodation is now sorted for the central Australia part ... very nice five-star deluxe spa hotel rooms at Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs. I've never stayed anywhere quite so fancy. After three weeks of sleeping in a swag under the stars on the side of the track ... it's going to be the most appreciated accommodation ever! Fancy or not. I've also been shopping over the last couple of days for quick dry, sun protective, moisture transfer, mosquito repellant (no kidding!) travel wear. Gradually nearing being ready I think!
And in amongst all this ... Stella, a friend from London, came to visited over the last couple of days. Such fun. A perfect excuse to push the study aside for 24 hours or so. We spent last night in town exploring what Brisbane has to offer on a Sunday night (more than I expected, I must admit!). It was fun ... a trip up to Mt Coot-tha, dinner at South Bank, a ferry trip down the river, walking through the Queen St Mall then back to South Bank. All was lovely ... until I tripped over the curb. And did something nasty to my foot.
Seriously, can there be a more dull way to injure one's self? I was completely sober, I wasn't even doing anything silly ... I was just checking for traffic and looking where I was going, and the ground underneath me was uneven so I tripped. And now I'm hobbling, and everyone asks what happened. I don't even have an impressive story to tell. I have to admit it was pure clumsiness. So pathetic!
Meanwhile ... we were on the other side of the river, so after it happened I had to walk all the way over the Grey St bridge, through South Bank and back to my car (near the cinema) before I could pull out an instant ice pack from my first aid kit and ice it. Severe pain the entire way, and major swelling almost instantaneously. Really appreciated having the fully stocked first aid kit on board! Too bad the car was so far away though. Ice pack still helped of course, and then we bandaged it so I could drive home ... it's my left foot at least, but I drive manual so it was still far from fun!
The irony of this whole situation ... Stella is a podiatrist! Of all things I could have done while she is in town ... I have to go and injure my foot. Pretty classic, really. It would be like having a mid-life crisis while a psychiatrist friend was visiting, or losing my passport while visiting my Vice Consul friend. Rather convenient though. Stella kindly strapped my foot this morning, and offered all kinds of tips along the way.
Isn't feeling a great deal better though ... today I had a drama workshop at uni, then I took Stella to the museum, then after dropping Stella at the airport I called in to DFO to look for cheap travel wear ... so I've been walking (read: hobbling) almost non-stop all day (and as such in severe pain the entire time). Tried to rest it as much as I could ... but hard when there's so much to do.
Tonight, I finally went to the doctor (first appointment I could get), and tomorrow I have to get an x-ray. The doctor said I might have been walking around on a broken bone all day. The fifth metatarsal, assuming I read the radiology request correctly. Comforting thought. I pointed out that I've been walking all day ... so surely it can't be broken? Apparently it can. More likely a pulled tendon I suspect. I guess I'll know more tomorrow.
Such perfect timing! Hoping such injuries can heal within a couple of weeks. Two weeks tomorrow I fly to Darwin. Hiking in central Australia won't be much fun with an injured foot. Even with lovely new hiking boots.
This evening was rather thrillingly spent discussing the upcoming trip to the middle of no where! My uncle came around for dinner, and we started going through the details of the trip. So incredibly exciting! And still a little intimidating at the same time. It all feels so much more real now though! We've been talking about such practical stuff ... like how much water we're going to carry with us, and whether to take a tent.
My uncle has already planned so much! Which is probably lucky, as the trip is fast approaching. Only three more weeks until my uncle heads off from Brisbane ... and I'll fly to meet him in Darwin a few days after that. My uncle has ordered a satellite phone, and he's managed to recover his radio. A fuel dump has been arranged in the middle of nowhere ... quite literally! A 44-gallon (200L) drum of fuel will be waiting for us on the side of the stock route at roughly the time we expect to pass through ... because we can't carry enough fuel to get us from start to finish. Itinerary is sorted, and my uncle is looking after the vehicle. So glad he's done all this before!
Still so much to organise before we leave though! I have to get a swag, as we'll be sleeping on the ground beside the vehicle ... under the stars! I need to figure out what clothes to pack considering the cold nights and warm days, and limited space. I have to look into a GPS, and sort out flights, and organise a decent first aid kit. Accommodation needs to be arranged around Alice Springs. Food needs to be considered. Supplies need to be bought. And so much more! Not to mention three uni assignments and a lesson to present.
All so exciting though! What a thrilling adventure.
I'm going on an adventure! A real, middle of no where, outback adventure this time! I'm travelling again, and this time ... I'm staying in my own country! I'm heading west ... into the great Aussie outback and the remoteness of central and western Australia. And if all goes according to plan ... I leave in a little over five weeks!!
The opportunity has landed in my lap ... and the timing is perfect. My uncle was planning a trip with my cousin, and my cousin has pulled out somewhat last minute. My uncle is still going ... and he called Friday night saying he was looking for a passenger. Less than 24 hours later, I'd secured myself a seat. He's driving from Brisbane ... and I fly to Darwin to meet him as soon as my assignments and classes are over.
So, the trip ... will be seriously remote! We head south from Darwin to Katherine, then over to Halls Creek in WA. From there, we tackle the Canning Stock Route ... "one of the most remote and isolated four wheel drive tracks in the world". According to road signs, it's over 1900km ... with no water, fuel or services.
From the bottom of the Canning Stock Route, we head back east along the Gunbarrel Highway. This one is 1400km of isolated desert track ... one of Australia's most famous roads, and the first of many built by Len Beadell - "Australia's last great explorer". And at the end of the Gunbarrel Highway ... we'll reach Yulara and Uluru! Yup ... I'm going to see Uluru!
The trip up until this point should take around three weeks, maybe a little more. My cousin is planning on joining my uncle at Yulara ... and my plans after this point are undecided. I might fly home, or up to Darwin to visit my sister. Or I might join my uncle and cousin on their trip around the red centre!
I'm so excited, and at the same time ... a little nervous! The photographer in me can't help but think about all the fabulous photos I'll be able to take! Lots of red dirt, and blue skies. ;) And so much more, of course! The landscapes, the wildflowers, the creepy desert creatures, the never-ending sand dunes, the iconic Aussie outback. And the night sky ... I can't wait to see the stars! Can you imagine how incredible they'll look from the middle of no where!?
At the same time ... I'm not entirely sure what to expect. It will be rough! Seriously rough. Sleeping in swags on the ground beside the vehicle. Cooking outdoors, and carrying all our own food, and water, and fuel. I don't even want to think about washing, and toilets. But many others have done it before me ... I'm sure I'll survive!
It's hardly an experience I can pass up ... it's going to be incredible! Unforgettable. Once in a life time. And it's happening in under a month and a half!