We're home. Nice to see the dogs, horses, square dance friends and local friends. Getting things back in shape and doing Spring things. It's a hard change for an old body to go from Fall to Spring overnight.
We haven't slowed down a bit. I'm thinking we don't know how exactly to do that or what it might look like.
Been thinking about Alaska or maybe Africa?
Thanks to all who read the blog and commented, it helped us to stay connected. We never watched TV we had other things to do.
Kathy
Friday, May 2, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
One last time.
Here we are in Melbourne getting ready to go see the sights. Tomorrow we get on the plane for home. Today will be trying to figure out the train and tram system to get around town. Plan to go to city center to look at the sights. The weather is still holding great for us--24C is the high for the day. Real smokey around here as they are doing prescribed burns in the countryside. Too bad as we were going to go up on the largest tower to view the city!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Outback Camel Trek--Mission accomplished!
April 18, 2008
It is now 2145, and we are back from the “GREAT CAMEL TREK”! The kids, Tim and Pam, are in bed already—the old folks wore out the kids. We had an absolute ball today!!! Left here about 0715 and got to the Camel Farm about 0830. Boarded the ships of the desert about 0900 and headed out-bush. Neil, our guide and camel wrangler, said his day is great when he heads out the gate! What can we say—we were not prepared for the fun and excitement that we had. Camels get a bad rap—there was not kicking, biting, spitting, or smell. It is just like our horses; if they are bad you correct it or get rid of them!! We saw roo, cockatoo, emu tracks, inch ants, ghost gum trees, and so much more. The landscape is so beautiful—if you have any love for the desert. The only draw back was flies. They fly up anything that might have moisture—no biting, just massively annoying! The weather on this trip has been unbelievable. We only encountered rain on a drive in southern Australia, and heat in Melbourne. It probably only reached 30 C or 86 F today. Nice breeze that kept the flies off most of the time. Tomorrow we head for Melbourne for two nights and then home to Idaho. It is sad to leave, but we are ready to get back to a normal life. Oh yes, we just paid $1.59 per liter for gas—that is about $5.60/gallon. If you want, check out Neil’s website:
http://www.camels-australia.com.au/ Good night to all as we hobble to our beds!
It is now 2145, and we are back from the “GREAT CAMEL TREK”! The kids, Tim and Pam, are in bed already—the old folks wore out the kids. We had an absolute ball today!!! Left here about 0715 and got to the Camel Farm about 0830. Boarded the ships of the desert about 0900 and headed out-bush. Neil, our guide and camel wrangler, said his day is great when he heads out the gate! What can we say—we were not prepared for the fun and excitement that we had. Camels get a bad rap—there was not kicking, biting, spitting, or smell. It is just like our horses; if they are bad you correct it or get rid of them!! We saw roo, cockatoo, emu tracks, inch ants, ghost gum trees, and so much more. The landscape is so beautiful—if you have any love for the desert. The only draw back was flies. They fly up anything that might have moisture—no biting, just massively annoying! The weather on this trip has been unbelievable. We only encountered rain on a drive in southern Australia, and heat in Melbourne. It probably only reached 30 C or 86 F today. Nice breeze that kept the flies off most of the time. Tomorrow we head for Melbourne for two nights and then home to Idaho. It is sad to leave, but we are ready to get back to a normal life. Oh yes, we just paid $1.59 per liter for gas—that is about $5.60/gallon. If you want, check out Neil’s website:
http://www.camels-australia.com.au/ Good night to all as we hobble to our beds!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
One more try!
April 17, 2008
Here we go again! It is now 2045 and we are getting ready to go to the camels tomorrow for a one day trek. Everyone is getting better, but we are hoping that by tomorrow we will be great! Tim is the worst now. One thing we haven’t talked about is the time change. We have done alright with most but from Cairns to Alice Springs we lost one half hour—yes, a ½ hour. Boy did that throw us off! We have just changed everything—we are going on a one day camel trek, and then we are going to Melbourne on Saturday instead of Sunday. Alice Springs has just been too much—the aborigines remind me of a cross between the Indians on the reservation and the blacks in the ghetto, and they are everywhere you go just standing and staring or asking for money. We will stay in Melbourne for two nights instead of one, and maybe we can see some of that city. Now we have to get ready for the ride!!
Here we go again! It is now 2045 and we are getting ready to go to the camels tomorrow for a one day trek. Everyone is getting better, but we are hoping that by tomorrow we will be great! Tim is the worst now. One thing we haven’t talked about is the time change. We have done alright with most but from Cairns to Alice Springs we lost one half hour—yes, a ½ hour. Boy did that throw us off! We have just changed everything—we are going on a one day camel trek, and then we are going to Melbourne on Saturday instead of Sunday. Alice Springs has just been too much—the aborigines remind me of a cross between the Indians on the reservation and the blacks in the ghetto, and they are everywhere you go just standing and staring or asking for money. We will stay in Melbourne for two nights instead of one, and maybe we can see some of that city. Now we have to get ready for the ride!!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Curve in the road!
April 17, 2008
Well, it finally happened! The only thing we had planned for the last year and the only thing that this whole trip was planned around was the camel trip. Yesterday morning Tim, Pam, & Kathy felt off. By mid day Kathy was sick with a fever and gut pain. I had her in the ER by 1900 as she started the dry heaves. They did an IV drip and some IV meds and we came back to the motel by 2130. We called the camel people to say that Kathy & I wouldn’t be there, and then they called back to cancel on Tim and Pam as we were the only 4 to be going and 2 people were not economically feasible--what a drag. This morning Kathy is better but not up to par, and Pam is still off. The two of them are sleeping while Tim and I are trying to figure how to go on a camel ride yet! We will let go and let God figure it out!
Well, it finally happened! The only thing we had planned for the last year and the only thing that this whole trip was planned around was the camel trip. Yesterday morning Tim, Pam, & Kathy felt off. By mid day Kathy was sick with a fever and gut pain. I had her in the ER by 1900 as she started the dry heaves. They did an IV drip and some IV meds and we came back to the motel by 2130. We called the camel people to say that Kathy & I wouldn’t be there, and then they called back to cancel on Tim and Pam as we were the only 4 to be going and 2 people were not economically feasible--what a drag. This morning Kathy is better but not up to par, and Pam is still off. The two of them are sleeping while Tim and I are trying to figure how to go on a camel ride yet! We will let go and let God figure it out!
Telegraph Station and Standley Chasm Alice Springs, AU
April 16, 2008
Well, yesterday was a day of shopping. Planned to go to Todd Mall to get a few things, and spent most of the day. Didn’t get started until 10 or after, but that’s okay. Finally got out of town and went to another ANZAC War Memorial on the hill above town. Pretty nice view of town and the country side--met nice people from all over the world. Then we went to Telegraph Hill—that is the reason that Alice Springs is here—it grew up around the telegraph station. There is a park and preserved buildings and it was nice. We were there at sunset and it was beautiful. Dried up spring area, trees, old building, and kangaroos! Things look so much like home sometimes, and then a roo runs across the road, or a magpie sings—yes the magpies here have a beautiful song! We watched the roos with their “joeys” in their pouches. Pretty neat to see these things! Found these 3 young girls (early 20’s) that were going to hike back to town in the dark, but we convinced them that a ride with us was safer—wild dingos and the drunken aborigines. Kathy and I went to a casino after dinner—she won and I lost.
Today we got up and out pretty quick and headed to Standley Chasm west of Alice Springs about 40 miles. Nice hike and beautiful views of the chasm and country. The women got sleepy so they took and nap while Tim and I fixed lunch—we went to Kentucky Fried Chicken. We’ll see what the rest of the day brings.
Well, yesterday was a day of shopping. Planned to go to Todd Mall to get a few things, and spent most of the day. Didn’t get started until 10 or after, but that’s okay. Finally got out of town and went to another ANZAC War Memorial on the hill above town. Pretty nice view of town and the country side--met nice people from all over the world. Then we went to Telegraph Hill—that is the reason that Alice Springs is here—it grew up around the telegraph station. There is a park and preserved buildings and it was nice. We were there at sunset and it was beautiful. Dried up spring area, trees, old building, and kangaroos! Things look so much like home sometimes, and then a roo runs across the road, or a magpie sings—yes the magpies here have a beautiful song! We watched the roos with their “joeys” in their pouches. Pretty neat to see these things! Found these 3 young girls (early 20’s) that were going to hike back to town in the dark, but we convinced them that a ride with us was safer—wild dingos and the drunken aborigines. Kathy and I went to a casino after dinner—she won and I lost.
Today we got up and out pretty quick and headed to Standley Chasm west of Alice Springs about 40 miles. Nice hike and beautiful views of the chasm and country. The women got sleepy so they took and nap while Tim and I fixed lunch—we went to Kentucky Fried Chicken. We’ll see what the rest of the day brings.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Alice Springs, and Uluru
April 15, 2008
Wow, when we get going we don’t stop. Arrived in Alice Springs Sunday April 13 about 1300, took a shuttle to Alice Motor Inn and settled in. We are staying in one big room with a double bed and two twin beds; not exactly as posh as Trinity Links but clean and workable. Pam says we should have done this in reverse, camped with the camels first, then here, then Trinity Links. After a group discussion we decided to take a tour yesterday to Uluru (Ayers Rock to the uninitiated). It was a full day tour; the bus picked us up at 0600 and deposited back here at midnight. It was an 1150 km round trip journey; we stopped and hiked at various sites along the way, seeing flora and fauna of the area and learning Aboriginal Tjukurpa or “dreamtime” stories about Uluru and the surrounding area. The weather is unexpectedly cool and breezy here in the heart of Australia contrary to our expectations. Today we rented a car for today and tomorrow so we can see a bit of the country before we head to the camels on Thursday.
Wow, when we get going we don’t stop. Arrived in Alice Springs Sunday April 13 about 1300, took a shuttle to Alice Motor Inn and settled in. We are staying in one big room with a double bed and two twin beds; not exactly as posh as Trinity Links but clean and workable. Pam says we should have done this in reverse, camped with the camels first, then here, then Trinity Links. After a group discussion we decided to take a tour yesterday to Uluru (Ayers Rock to the uninitiated). It was a full day tour; the bus picked us up at 0600 and deposited back here at midnight. It was an 1150 km round trip journey; we stopped and hiked at various sites along the way, seeing flora and fauna of the area and learning Aboriginal Tjukurpa or “dreamtime” stories about Uluru and the surrounding area. The weather is unexpectedly cool and breezy here in the heart of Australia contrary to our expectations. Today we rented a car for today and tomorrow so we can see a bit of the country before we head to the camels on Thursday.
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