Surprise! It’s Hayley and it’s my turn to write one of our travel blogs! I feel quite honoured to be writing this, but I must first say a big thank you to Dan for capturing our amazing travel adventures around Oz so eloquently to date. In true Dan style his blogs have humour and personal insight and will forever enable us to relive the awesome holiday moments we’ve enjoyed as a family. I must warn you that my blog will probably fall short of his creative writing quality however since I spent the most time in Darwin with the kids we felt it would be a bit of fun to get my perspective.

I must apologise for the delay in getting this blog out. Darwin seems months ago (actually it was) however we’ve been enjoying the road too much it’s been hard to stop, ponder and actually write our adventures down.

Here goes…

Darwin stated mid-July, plans were in place for my folks to arrive so we knew it was important to find a park that would suit everyone’s needs. Howard Springs was that such place. From the jumping pillow, “oasis” pool, and nearby cabins, this was the first place in 6 months where I joined the caravan site “stalker club”. When we arrived, on first inspection I thought it would be a good idea to cram into a site opposite the cabins where Mum and Dad were, however being in the “permanent’s” section proved a little unpleasant (early worker start times), and since I knew we would be staying for a while, I thought it best to find another site that would be “our own.”

Being in the school holiday period (for a month!) I acted fast, up early, scouring the place. I quickly saw a couple (through my mad stalker glasses) who looked like they were packing up. In my most casual voice I said good morning (knowing full well that this was THE site – near jumping pillow, pool, facilities and with a cement slab which is good to set up annex for visitors to stay). Anyway I casually rushed (sprinted) back to our site and told Dan the “good” news. Now poor Dan, bless his sweat beaded brow, had spent quite a while the previous day, backing our van into a very tiny crowded spot not to mention erecting the full annex, so I knew this may have been a hard sell. Anyway after a few sighs and bumbles under the breath, and viewing the site, he was on-board. I knew I’d have to snag the spot (without looking too desperate) so we agreed I would take a stool and sit on the site while awaiting Dan to take down the annex and pack up the van…so easy…not! Every time I started to feel like a goose I had to take my mind back to Dan who would be sweating (and probably cursing) having to disassemble everything… on his own…I soon embraced my predicament sitting in my pj’s at 8am in the morning, sitting on a backless stool trying to appear casual….I soon discovered the next morning that I was not alone and that all the other desperadoes were seeking the same perfection (pat on the back thank you).

On a side note, I am writing this from a shaded table and chair overlooking the turquoise coloured water of Cable beach. I’ve already had a few people say “nice office” and I’m happy to report this writing experience has been most pleasant!

Anyway, I digress…

My folks arrived safe and sound and it was very exciting to see them. It had been 50 years since Mum had been back after meeting Dad all those years ago. There were a lot of nostalgic moments realised by Mum and Dad of which I felt very privileged to bear witness too. Locations of where the Qantas staff apartments were, Qantas hanger used to be, the watering holes, and how life was back then. It just so happened that we were here a few days before their 48th wedding anniversary.

The week together was very special. My brother Nick and his beautiful 4 kids were able to visit also, and stay with their friend Kate. Luckily for them, their abode for the week was an apartment on the top floor overlooking the Waterfront, including the lagoon and wave pool.

Kate became our impromptu tour guide and eventual live-in host of which we are forever grateful for. She gathered us all up and took us on many adventures starting with a day at the races! Derby Day in Darwin is loads of fun. For starters you can dress up or dress down. It’s not crowded (but enough of a crowd to give it a good atmosphere), so you can go right up to the barricade to cheer on a winner. Kids can run free and we grown-ups can enjoy a quite one while placing a bet. Man, for once I can place a bet with a bookie.  Did I say that right? Dad and I had watched a race from the members area and even though we didn’t win, I was warmed to have some alone time with my Dad.

A barbie at Kate’s the next day – who cooked the best Barra I’ve ever had. Wild caught Barra of course…not the farmed stuff…

Dan was lucky enough to attend the Davis Cup where he saw the final day of action between Australia and Kazakhstan, with Sam Groth and Leyton Hewitt bringing home both of the final day matches to win the tie 3-2 after being down 2-0 on the first day!. Dan says that the atmosphere was amazing which it would have been given that now sees Australia into the Semi-finals for the first time in a long while!

Plans were soon made for a day at Litchfield. This was a day that I will never forget. A combination of family, the great outdoors, the most picturesque water holes, kids laughing, rock jumping, making sailing boats from leaves and twigs, and cold chicken rolls. Total bliss. It started at the Magnetic and Cathedral termite mounds followed by my favourite Bluey Rock pools. Florence Falls was followed by Wangi Falls where we clambered up to a waterhole in the side of the cliff for a relax!. The kids can swim forever. April I think can now swim 50 metres by herself… I needed the noodle more than she did!

Crocosauros Cove was our first experience with seeing captive Salties up close. Home of the “Cage of Death”, Croc Cove was fascinating albeit unnatural. Many reptiles are housed here and the kids witnessed the shear jaw strength of a croc by a demonstration of a clock of ice being crushed by a “croc jaw” machine. Left us a strong impression and made me thankful we were on the other side of the glass (tapping on it saying “here crocy crocy”). We did get to feed the babies crocs (off a small fishing rod), who apparently can also leave a bit of damage if one was to find one’s fingers in its grasp. The highlight was probably the reptile show. We were shown a blue tongue lizard and a snake which put on a great show by devouring a mouse, while the human host made us all feel a bit queezy by chewing on a few cockroaches. Don’t know which made me squirm more. The kids held the snake…April and Denver couldn’t hold it enough. The funniest was probably watching the snake curl itself around Dad’s ear into his mouth. Poor Dad was a little terrified!

To add to the croc excitement we took a drive down to the Adelaide River for a boat tour called Jumping Crocs. As the name suggests chunks of buffalo are dangled over the side where hungry crocs are tempted to jump up for a quick meal. The tour guide gave us some great insight into the day to day living of the crocs. They were awesome and frightening to watch.

Back in town the wave pool at the Foreshore Waterfront proved to be a lot of fun. I would have liked to have dragged Mum up onto the blow up ring and take her out to ride the waves, however the picture of Dad trying his best to stay on top of the ring was a spectacle enough for both of them. I was very impressed with Dad’s style :-). Hours of fun was had.

Another barbie, but this time back at ours, meant Nick could enjoy a kid free night (of Oysters and beer) and we got some quality with 6 kids! Mum and Dad enjoyed the dulcet tones of the camp ground resident singer, a real ”Neil Diamond” sound-a-like.

Finally, the Mindil Markets ended the fantastic week together. A fire show, stall food and a bucket load of memories set us up for our family fix and we bode farewell to my parents and brother.

This was coincidently the same time that Dan went back to Sydney for work related activities. So we took the opportunity to stay at the Darwin Sky City hotel for 3 nights (thanks Fuji). The booking was for a Deluxe Family Room. Boy was I excited! A bit of pampering not to mention SPACE! It’s going to be a room with an adjoining kid’s room. They would get their space (and TV) and I’d have my own….! Unfortunately I was, let’s say, a little surprised/disappointed to learn Family room meant one room with an extra single bed… I soon recovered when I looked outside to see a view of Mindil Beach. I figured we’d be out most of the time anyway.  The pool softened my disappointment even further and the kids enjoyed some quality alone time together. An open topped bus tour of Darwin, including a tour of the Museum and Art Gallery, put Darwin into perspective. With a population or 116,000, it’s smaller than you think. A combination of a laid-back country town with a growing, modern and popular city.

The next day was aqua duck, or rather aqua croc ride day. “Reggie” collected us and we were off on the bus/boat tour. April was convinced she earned her “license” to drive one of these things after “driving” this rig in the water. Another visit to the Wave pool topped off our whirlwind stay in “the big smoke” while waiting for the Patriarch to return. A great distraction in what was already a beautifully relaxing location.

Predictably for us the weather was a constant 32 degrees and sunny. Joy oh joy! Finally somewhere on our trip were we can don our thongs and togs morning, noon and night. I must admit it has been very freeing on this trip to cast away the make-up and hair straightener and embrace the simplicity of going au natural. I was very thankful the short hair cut in Alice meant I didn’t have to deal with a frizzy mane. Too much relaxing had to be done.

Kate invited us to stay with her for a few days which we were more than excited to do. Apart from being in a prime location, Kate was a super hospitable host. A visit to the Parap Markets soon saw April donning a new pretty yellow dress (thank you Belinda) and a bag of caramel popcorn the size of Denver. …not to mention the Banana and Nutella pancakes! More amazing meals on the deck, and vegging out in front of Lion King made the week!

A walk along the Esplanade one morning on the way to fish feeding was beautiful. April spotted a Bee Eater Bird (quite the bird watcher!), and the view of the ocean was breathtaking. The highlight though was definitely the Fish feeding at Doctors Gully that happens every day depending on the high tide where the hundreds and hundreds of fish come up for the daily fix of bread. What was once a free activity is now a popular tourist attraction. Nevertheless, the kids and I enjoyed it (with plenty of squeals). We got very friendly with the mixture of Milkfish, Mullet, Catfish, Bream and Barramundi (who, cleverly, swim slightly sideways to capture the most fish that swim in schools vertically). Hovering right on the shoreline were many rays too!

We ended up staying in Darwin for a lot longer than planned because it was so easy to access everything we needed and entertain the kids, not to mention the weather! There were lots of things to do around Darwin at that time, including the Races, the Davis Cup, and The Darwin Festival. Dan managed to squeeze some time at the Ski Club to see Jebidiah, while we all enjoyed seeing the ever playful and entertaining performance of Justine Clarke in her calico “musical” dress down on the Foreshore.

We also met a family of whom we all got along with very well. I’d met them at the pool where Michelle (the mum) and I soon chatted easily, and even did handstands in the pool. Brought back childhood memories, not to mention bonding Michelle and I forever :-). A girl after my own heart, we even thought it was a good idea to create a whirlpool in the large spa…it didn’t matter than in some parts we couldn’t hardly stand!

Denver quickly became friendly with their eldest Brodie, who, being the same age as Denver bonded like long lost friends. One morning the two of them sat down to do school work together. Denver remembered he’d forgotten to brush his teeth, so of he went to brush them. After being gone quite a while, he eventually came out with his hair wet and slicked back, and smelling of my perfume. I realised quickly he’d wanted to spruce himself up a bit, so I acted very cool and didn’t say a word. Love him. Together with the younger siblings all four of them became the BMX bandits around the park. I love that in an instant strong friendships can be born by the simple action of being together.

Hard to top Darwin, but I can safely say the trip is getting better and better.

Stay tuned for further adventures.

Yours Hayley xx