kirsty.squire's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member kirsty.squire on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/kirsty.squire en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:00:49 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com We're cold! — Harrogate, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1220065080/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1220065080/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1220065080/tpod.html Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:00:49 -0400 Zig Zagging Australia!
Harrogate, Australia

Came home via the Clare and Barossa Valleys.
]]> Almost Home — Wilmington, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219975680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219975680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219975680/tpod.html Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:43:08 -0400 Zig Zagging Australia!
Wilmington, Australia

We spent a great 2 days catching up with Andy who has just started back at The North Blinman Hotel. He seems really happy in his new/old job. His cottage is over 100 yrs old. From his back door you can see all the way towards Wilpena. I was sad to hear that John Henery has cancer. The camels behind the pub were very friendly but were eating all the buds. The first 2 evenings were spent with Andy working at bar but the second day/third night he had off. We ordered some sandwiches from the Wild Lime Cafe and set off up the Parachilna Gorge for lunch. We detoured to visit Dave at Angorichina where we also picked up some beers for the boys and the key to our old camp site on Alpana Station. The girls had a wonderful time playing in the currently dry creek bed. In the evening I cooked up a roast beef and potatoes, followed by apricot crumble in the camp oven. We put the girls to bed and spent the night by the camp fire with Andy. Out of all the places we visited in our 5 weeks away the Flinders Ranges still remains my favourite.
]]> oodnadatta track — Blinman, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219714620/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219714620/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219714620/tpod.html Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:52:01 -0400 Zig Zagging Australia!
Blinman, Australia

After spending an extra 2 nights in Alice Springs we picked up our mended camper trailer and headed for the Oodnadatta Track. The first night was actually spent in a motel at Marla so I could watch the Opals go for gold well Silver. In the morning Michael spoke to a fellow traveller who suggested we take the Painted Desert Track to Oodnadatta as there is much more to see. Yes the scenery was stunning but it took us twice as long because it was again very rough. We ended camping at Algebuckina Bridge which is 50 kms south of Oodnadatta.
It was then a 10 hr drive into Blinman but we were welcomed with a room in the hotel! Ahh warmth!
]]> Ahh Crap! — Alice Springs, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219228200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219228200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219228200/tpod.html Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:42:15 -0400 Zig Zagging Australia!
Alice Springs, Australia

Sitting watching the Olympics today when I heard Michael saying "Ahh crap. Ahh crap!" He had discovered that the camper trailer's spring had sheered off from the chassis and the other side had started to do the same. We can't get it fixed until Friday morning. This means an extra night in Alice. We are jus thankful that it didn't happen in the middle of nowhere. The girls pestered us to go swimming this morning we finally let them, Knowing that it was way too cold. They both came back crying because they were hurting from the cold! The promised they would listen next time! Michael is off listening to bush ballads.
]]> Just as rough! — Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219191600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219191600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1219191600/tpod.html Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:14:23 -0400 Zig Zagging Australia!
Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

We left Broome expecting a smoother ride down down the Tanami but oh how wrong we were! The first night was spent at a 24hr rest area at Mary River. There were quite a few people camped there but the girls again enjoyed making "cakes" but this time they were decorated with shells. I made an apricot crumble in the camp oven which was delicious. We made our way Halls Creek for petrol and were informed that the town had run out of money! Luckily they had petrol. The first 150kms of the Tanami were ok but then it turned to shit! There was nowhere to camp so we just drove off the side of the road and camped. That night was the windiest night ever. There was not alot to see out there except for a couple of mines that you weren't allowed entry. We did visita remote roadhouse called Rabbit Flat. The most expensive petrol in Australia was purchased here at $2.45/litre for unleaded. Our second night on the Tanami was spent at a rest area which was much more comfortable. The 3rd day on the Tanami was much smoother, even bitumised! Even though the Tanami was VERY rough the girls had a wonderful time watching the full moon rise and the stars. Tilmouth well on the Tanami had a roadhouse that contained the most beautiful Aboriginal paintings by local artitists for a very reasonable price but I couldnt quite afford it. Next time I will most definitely make a special trip up from Alice to buy one. We are spending a couple of nights in a cabin at The Big 4 caravan park in Alice so we can recuperate, catch up on washing, let the girls have a play and I can watch the Olympics! Our trip back to Adelaide will be down part of the Oodnadatta track and the Flinders Ranges.
]]> Camel Ride — Broome, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218843000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218843000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218843000/tpod.html Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:12:08 -0400 Zig Zagging Australia!
Broome, Australia

Spent the morning in "China Town"and most of the day in the pool. Went on a camel ride along Cable Beach this afternoon. Caitlin and Milly thought it was good fun even though when the camels stood up/down it was a little bit scary! Nothing like having a camel chewing it's cud right in your ear, NOT! After the camel ride we drove along the beach and the girls were looking a bit perplexed! There were nudists and they could see the man's "noodle".
The girls provided us with more evening entertainment.
]]> Loving the sun! — Broome, Western Australia, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218717720/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218717720/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218717720/tpod.html Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:59:35 -0400 Zig Zagging Australia!
Broome, Western Australia, Australia

Arrived in Broome a couple of days ago after a short and smooth bitumen drive from Derby. Most of the time has been spent watching the girls in the pool. Caitlin is getting more confident but Milly is a fish! She showed me how she can swim like daddy and squat on the edge of the pool falling in with a summersault. Last nigt we went out for dinner at The Wharf Restaurant. The girls had queen fish and we had barramundi as well as prawns, calamari and garlic bread. Today we went for a drive up the coast and stopped at Quandong Point for about an hour. It was a beautiful spot with quite a few campers, The girls played on the beach collecting "treasures". They found hermit crabs and some bigger crabs in a rock pool. I told Caitlin to pick up a hermit crab and when it poked it's legs out she nearly shit herself but thought it was funny! Hopefully tomorrow we are going on a camel ride at sun set. We will be leaving Broome on Saturday morning. Heading for Alice Springs via the Tanami.
]]> oh my god! — Derby, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218454020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218454020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218454020/tpod.html Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:41:49 -0400 Zig Zagging Australia!
Derby, Australia

Well where do I start? I don't exactly know whether I enjoyed The Gibb River Road yet! It was certainly a road I will never forget. We left Kununurra and headed for El Questro Station, only a short distance but bumpy. Our camp site was right on the river and very private. After setting up camp we headed back into the "township" so the girls could have a swim in the river but they spent more time running under the sprinkler. Then we nearly had a disaster. Milly screamed and I thought Caitlin had taken her last biscuit but Milly had actually stepped in a camp oven pit that was still hot! Needless to say she burnt her foot. Luckily I was prepared and had a burns kit within the first aid kit. It took nearly an hour after treatment and some strong pain relief for Milly to stop screaming. Her foot isn't looking too bad but we took her to the Derby Hospital today who said I had done everything right and just to keep an eye out for infection once the blisters break.
Anyway back to The Gibb River Road. After an eventful start we continued on to Ellenbrae Station. It took us 4.5 hrs to travel approx 180 kms. We were only going about 30-40 kms/hr for a majority of the time. The corrugations were crazy! Michael had "bot rot" to the extreme. So by 1 oclock we had had enough! But Ellenbrae Station surprised us with a rippa of a campsite. We had hot water from a wood fired boiler so showers were enjoyed by Michael and myself and the girls had a bath!
If we thought the first part of the road was rough we were about to be bone jarred and rattled all the way to China. The corrugations felt as big as water bars! I didn't really enjoy it but it was challenging and we made blowout free.
Last nights campsite was at Silent Grove camp ground within The Leopold Conservation Park. A nice site but very busy. Michael enjoyed the creek crossings.
We would like to have spent 2 weeks on the Gibb River Road but the girls weren't able to do the walks in the gorges and waterfalls. Hopefully we will return one day............
Heading for Broome tomorrow to relax for a few days.
]]> lake argyle — Kununurra, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218090840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218090840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1218090840/tpod.html Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:40:51 -0400 Zig Zagging Australia!
Kununurra, Australia

visited the ord river dam and lake argyle today. Didn't go on a cruise as not there at the right time of day. the girls were also asleep. what we did see was very impressive. Heading to El Questro Station tomorrow, the first stop on the Gibb River rd. Should reach Broome by Tuesday. We will be out of range until then.
]]> North Western Australia — Kununurra, Western Australia, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1217983920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1217983920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kirsty.squire/1/1217983920/tpod.html Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:55:06 -0400 Zig Zagging Australia!
Kununurra, Western Australia, Australia

Just chillin' today!
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