Road Trip : Daly Waters to Camooweal

After Daly we had two options, either follow Stuart Hwy down to Threeways and from there towards east to Queensland or do a small detour via Port Campbell on smaller and less-crowded Carpentaria Hwy and we chosed the latter option. Pretty much all the way to Port Campbell there was a lots of roadworks and even a small creek crossing but we had a good driver on the wheel as it was Taavi's turn to drive today. From Port Campbell we decided to do another detour towards Borroloola for a rockhole where guys could get a swim but that turned out to be a bit of disappointment. We boys did a small hike to a lookout and even saw a roo but still, place itself was a bit bad call and at least to my opinion it wasn't worth doing 150km extra but you can never be sure unless you try.. Back towards Port Campbell and then down south towards Barkly Homestead thru Tablelands Hwy.

After few hours of driving we again in-the-middle-of-nowhere in this small rest area and we had the whole place to ourselves. I'd say this was even more remote than Glendambo in SA. Again, I got few nice photos of sunset and even from a moon, althou it was a bit cloudy. I reckon during the hours we stayed up there was two or three cars passing the place, nice and quiet. On the next morning when we woke up there was two aussie travellers parked on the other edge with their ute, boat and tent. They left a bit earlier and stopped briefly just to give us some bread. Yet again, what a nice bunch of people these aussies are, I really like it in here.

The next day it was my turn to drive again. At least on this highway there wasn't any roadworks but it was still a single-lane road, I just wonder what it would be like for two road trains to meet in here. Gotta say that Tablelands Hwy was one of the most boring roads I had driven so far, quality of road was shite, a lot of wind on open fields and you had to really concentrate on the driving and keep a lookout other cars coming towards you. You couldn't just cruise along like on some other highways. Finally, about after 2,5hrs of driving we arrived to Barkly Homestead for break and re-fuel. From here on, Barkly Hwy should be fairly smooth drive to our next overnight destination, Camooweal in Queensland.

We stopped for a tiny break at the last area in Northern Territory, soon we'd leave this state behind us, we we're on our way to Queensland. After SA/NT border this one was quite a disappointment but anyway, you gotta take photos always. Now it was also time to turn our watched 30mins ahead when entering Queensland. From the border it was just a short drive to Camooweal where we found our camping spot next to a river, or actually billabong. Sunset was beautiful yet again but the clear night sky and full moon topped that and I was on the camera again like some madman, tryin to find the best settings from my camera. Sure, it was gorgeous in previous place but nothing like this..

pic by Taavi

Road Trip : May 17th

The next mornin we headed for Nitmiluk National Park for a view of Nitmiluk Gorge (formerly known as Katherine Gorge) and for a walk. Well, I walked only till gorge lookout cause I wanted to start celebrating my birthday. I had few hours to kill before others came from their walk so I had time to do a sign to the back of our camper about Finland's ice hockey victory. After Nitmiluk we stopped briefly in Katherine and continued our trip towards Daly Waters. Once we arrived to Daly, me, Taavi & Heidi decided to go for dinner and this time I chose just the beef course, yummy stake. Obviously, since it was again a special occasion, I was wearing my kilt. We never mentioned to Chilli that it was my bday but he still recognized and remembered me cause of my kilt and made few jokes again. After dinner me & Taavi went for a game of pool, man I lost big time, but I had fun anyway. After pool we had few more drinks at camper and one by one other guys went to bed Lou being the last around midnight. Reckon I stayed up for another hour and finally even I ad to give up. Nevertheless, it was another memorable birthday. Last two of them have been in Scotland, now in Australia, wonder where next year..

Road Trip : Darwin & Litchfield National Park

After Kakadu we headed to Darwin for weekend. We had few msgs from few potential people to join us replacing Lola and the best one was from estonian bloke, Taavi, who we we're supposed to meet on the next day. Once we arrived to Darwin we drove to a small park next to a nice beach and even thought of camping in there but just our luck that during that weekend there was Arafura games goin on and the next mornin there would be a half-marathon in the park so we couldn't camp there.. We just had a dinner and watched sunset and then headed for parking next to airport, few kilometres away from the city centre. For this night we didn't wanna pay since the next night we would be sleepin in a hostel in Darwin.

On the next mornin we drove early to same park as previous night to watch sunrise but all of us we're just too tired so we continued sleepin next to beach. Afterwards we had a brekkie next to a wee lake and then headed towards city centre to our hostel. We couldn't check-in yet but at least we could park our camper in there. Girls went for internet cafe and me & Lou took a small walk around city centre. Once we finally checked-in Heidi went to see her friend and Lou was waiting for a pick-up call, he was headin to some festival for the weekend a bit south of Darwin. I was just takin it easy and chillin at the hostel. Few hours afterwards girls came back and Taavi came to meet us. At first he wasn't quite sure would he join us cause we we're hedin next to Litchfield where he had been and not to Kakadu where he would have liked to go. Later that evening we had a wee party and ordered some pizza as well. Heidi got a call from Taavi that he was after all joinin us, great. Bunch of us decided to head for nightclub in Darwin but I left around midnight since I was drivin the next day towards Litchfield. In the mornin me & Heidi went for a quick grocery shoppin, picked up Taavi, re-fuelled and gave lift to Lola and our room-mate Chris to airport. They we're both heading to Bali, althou with different flights. I didn't take photos at all in Darwin, just didn't feel like it and also, I knew I'm comin back in few months so I can take photos then. Then it was time to find that festival area and Lou. And what a first impression Taavi got from Lou - he was completely wasted.. Hah, juniors. Anyway, we we're just laughin at him, sure all of us have somethin crazy when younger, and when a bit older as well.. Lou woke up briefly when we stopped in Batchelor for a lunch but passed out again when we started drivin towards Litchfield. We stopped at Florence Falls for a swim but just couldn't get Lou to wake up. Oh, well.. Again, I didn't go for swim, just was takin photos as usually. Eventually we drove to a camping ground next to Wangi Falls and what a beautiful place that was, especially the sunset was gorgeous. Heidi was saying this was the most beautiful camping spot so far and I can't really deny that, it was something amazing.

Florence Falls

Wangi Falls

On the mornin me & Lou took an early mornin walk to the top of falls and that was a really good way to start your day with a cold shower afterwards. After Wangi Falls we went for a lookout at Tolmer Falls and then to Burley Rockhole for a swim. Well, yet again, others did, not me. I was again 'the' photographer but I enjoyed it anyway. After Burley we we're supposed to do just a small stop at Florence Falls so that Lou could at least see the place but not a surprise, he couldn't resist a swim in there. After Litchfield we headed for Katherine to do more grocery shoppin and both me & Heidi we waitin for a info about last nights game in ice hockey world championship games final, Finland vs. Sweden. I was first one to get a reception and immediately got few msgs - WE WON!!!!!!!! 6-1!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable! It had been 16yrs since our last and first gold medal and during that time we've had few really tough losses in finals but finally we won, and against Sweden. I couldn't stop screaming for few minutes, I felt so great, wish I could have just seen the game. This was callin for a party once we park up later that night. Gosh, and tmw is my bday.. ..this is gonna be bad.. We parked for a rest area just south of Katherine and had few drinks durin dinner. Heidi & Lou went to bed fairly early but me & Taavi we're just chattin for hours. Isn't it funny how time flies when you have someone good person to have a conversation with. That night only Lou & Taavi slept in the tents and me & Heidi in the camper. So, two nites in row for me in camper since Heidi wanted to have my tent the next night. After all, I had to had bottom bunk tmw since I was more or less likely gonna pass out at some point..

Tolmer Falls

Road Trip : Kakadu National Park

This time I'll make a bit of an exception on my blog; I don't see much of reason writing too much about Kakadu National Park cause everubody can find all the information from internet. We stayed our 1st nite just outside the park and then 2nites in the park. On our 1st day we just checked few small walks and stayed in a normal camping ground and on our 2nd day we did a big 12km walk and then stayed overnight in Cooinda Gagudju Lodge where Heidi & Lou took sunset cruise in Yellow Waters and I did one in the next sunrise spottin some crocs and all the other wildlife in the park. If anyone has any questions, don't hesitate to ask and I'll do my best to reply.