Sun Ride

 Yesterday was a rainy ride in the morning and a sunny walk in the afternoon.  We have gotten the bikes out again to much better conditions this morning and the grandies were better at the riding as well.  Absolute calm and acoustics to go with it as we rode the same track as yesterday. This time it was smooth going and Kaia was speeding along to everyone's amazement. There were less dogs and people so no holding back.  We finished the morning with a cake bake session. Estelle arrived just in time for some pancake snacks. Good timing.

Grandies Get Going

 The afternoon beach walk turned out to be a lot hotter than we were thinking. We had the rubbish bag which was filling fast and getting heavier. Two grandies were getting into the swing and were almost shocked to see rubbish on the beach.  The broken chair was getting harder to carry so coats were coming off then jumpers were coming off and before you knew it kaia was mostly wet from jumping and running thru the shallows. We got the haul back up to the top and into the bin just. 

Asher Artful Artisan

 Doing some drawing has always been a hit and if it's a bit wet then get out the pencils. This activity is good for at least 30mins. We have around 5000 pens, pencils, marker pens, textas and crazy patterned ink rollers but not enough paper. Mental note to get some more paper. The drawing has improved over time with meticulous attention to the colouring. I used to finished mine just as an outlined sketch. Not any more it has to coloured in completely.  

pooh

Grandies Ride the Rain

 We checked out the sky and the forecast. No rain in sight. The scooters were being ridden inside and there were a few near misses so let's get some beans out by going for a ride along the cliffs. Yay they say.  We got all the gear on and made steady progress to the end of the track. Confidence was up and cartwheels were being performed along the way. In the distance we could see it coming.  The all enclosing rain cloud. So we got going with the usual dog hazards, people hazards and three year old bicycle skills. Kaia did well and Asher rode all of it but we did not make it back before we got wet. All part of the adventure.

Bicycle Views

 I have arranged to use a few bicycles in Europe but we are way out of practice so I went out for a tester spinner round the block ride. Some days back I mentioned the weather and the calmness of it, that was a mistake given the blast we have had for three days. Not today though. Riding was calm and sunny and I picked an old route where I was always swooped by a crazy bird no matter what time of year.  It was all clear this time so I will put that ride back in play. It has slight rises and lake views.

Zen moment

Hey Bud

 We seem to be doing something about travel every day at the moment. I booked a Museum day for the middle of London. We got caught out last time when we arrived for our visit to the museum and they said yes you have free entry but we are too busy.  This time we have a time slot.  I got the buds out of the packaging as well as the bluetooth transmitters.  I am running out of places to plug things in. We left a set of buds on a plane once and this time is going to be worse trying to keep track of every little piece of kit. The transmitters are good for 25 hours but they will still need to be charged for the return. I have counted eight items so far that need charging, four of those will be used in the plane's seat with me.

The Conservatory

 We have been following the renovation of the Queenscliff Hotel over the last couple of years. This is one of those iconic Victoriana spots that has been restored to glory days.  It was abandoned when the new owners took over and hasn't looked as good since 1888. We went to the Conservatory for the first of a number of birthday treats over the next few weeks. This is well worth a visit and very historic.  When the pool is opened we might go back for another round. Did I mention that Mietta's has reopened there as well. So much to do.

 

Hello World

 Maybe I should not be giving these guys a plug because we have not been anywhere yet. We did go and pickup some documents including various tickets and vouchers for travel and accommodation. So far so good.  There is a service for the older brigade where the airlines will get someone to meet us and walk us through the Euro entry gauntlet which these guys have arranged at the last minute.  We are also anticipating more use of technology compared to seven yar ago when we were last on the go.  Already we have replaced the old ear muff type of noise cancellation with a paired bluetooth transmitter and ear buds. There seems to be an app for every place on the itinerary.  My phone is going to get heavier.  I used to code in Fortran and you often start out with a Hello World.

Beach Walk No 891

It seems a long time since I have done the sand comber and beach roamer. One thing and another with too many distractions going on. As it turns out it is a reasonably clean beach here. I got a half a bag of small papers and plastics but no bottles or cans.  The weather makes a difference to the washup with the absence of any big blows lately. I stopped for a short tug of war with a couple of plants that are getting to close to the rock nook. We don't want them taking over in that spot. It is always a bit nervy when dogs spot you and come charging full pelt. So far they do an inspection and then go back to their owners. 

city view

BotanicaH

 It seems more was packed into this weekend than the entire Darwin week.  The hospital visit was originally unintended however a Friday meetup was organised for a detailed examination by another raft of doctors. The Saturday was Elyce's surprise 40th Knees Up at a place called Botanicah in the Prahan high end shopping strip.  Yes we were in a shed with a lot of plants. How this place fends off the buy out offers is a mystery.  This morning we were up before sparrow fart and back to the scene of the ribbing at the church in MontMorency, for more photos. At least we know it was all worth it, as the school has accepted Estelle as a student. No comments here on the selection process. 

Who's boots

hot chocolate milk

Dead Man's Grave

 I have tried a new author for me with this book set in the land of the Scots.  It all seemed a bit predictable being a crime yarn rather than a whodunit. The bad guys are being chased by a few cops not on the take etc etc.  It started well with a mystery about a grave enscribed with "Never to be Opened". This part was a true story about such a grave. The grave was part of a feud problem going way back.  At least the author did not try to get much of a Scottish accent into the writing.

Morning Birds

 I got one of the videos going from last week taken off the balcony generally filming the scene however there was also some bird tweeting going on. I was doing a similar thing back here trying to keep a bird focused in the lens. I was distracted by a guy in a full sci fi kit.  I have seen a pair of these swamp harriers buzzing and dive bombing before and got some good views of one this time. The birdman was really attentive and trying to record what I thought was a noiseless bird. The bonus was the landing.

It's a parabolic microphone

Wangi Falls

 We swam in this one 32 yar ago however the volume of water pumping into the pool was deemed too much for safe swimming this time around due to the lingering wet season. There was a second reason which you can see briefly at the end of the clip. Two large crocodile traps were in place just in case. The trap stank from an old pig leg used to lure them in. One of the indicators for crocs is a bouy that floats and bobs on the water. It is a large plasticine marker which crocs just have to investigate and when they clamp on it there are teeth marks left behind.

There must be a lot of three legged pigs running around

Florence Falls

 The water camera was buried deep in the suitcase after this day trip to Litchfield. I got some clips together to give an idea of swimming there. The clarity of the water is "to the bottom" eg where ever I went I could see the bottom clear as day.  Good considering the number of people messing about in the water. It has been an extra wet, wet season so the amout of water at all the falls is voluminous, hence the clarity. The current was also pushing you away so it was easier to hang back and watch the climbers jumping off.  The fish are sooty grunters.  They are black hence sooty however with the noisy waterfall I did not hear them grunt. 

Red Eye

 I think I have two red eyes. What leaves just after midnight and arrives just before dawn? The Red Eye. This plane was packed as well and what a shock to land in a fogbank. I think we should ban this type of flight.  We went looking for our car in the fog and the photo of where it was parked was unreachable on the water damaged phone.  It does not need to be said that the greatest nophasement moment was when the phone got watered. This is like having an arm cut off and it was only the second day. We had the carpark exit pass on there as well. There must be 5,000 cars in that lot.  Fortunately the work around was to access the cloud from the tablet device and get the pass on my phone.  It must be phone size not tablet size to fit under the scanner. Always bring backup technology.

last pool session

last photo

Final Fling

Julie had some issues, as did we all, with the Hotel in general. Parties were booked for four of our nights there with all sorts of riff raff running rampant.  Sleep was already a problem with the heat and the renovations were incessant and always started at 7:00am.  Maintenance on the horizon pool closed it for two days and the comedy festival day included that pool.  Julie went to work on the last day arranging free breakfasts and all day access until we were ready to leave until 10:00pm. Hooray!  We were all done in but Debbie had this last itch that needed scratching. With a 30 min spare window we went into the casino armed with cash, all $20 of it.  Thirty two yar ago we played a roulette table and scored 17:1 with a $10 chip. We then decided to blow it all. This time around we tried the armless bandits and got onto some sort of golden patchwork where if you get the squares full of gold then you hit the jackpot.  We got 12 squares filled with three empty however that still gave us $35. so we cashed in and sailed right out of there.

we had to ask how to get the winnings out

Eat or be Eaten

 Yes I have been on the lookout for the right sized crocodile to eat. I have turned the tables, the five metre monsters that devour buffalo and humans are too big but The Oyster Bar had one that was cut into bite sized chunks. It is hard to describe the taste but the flesh was white and a bit chewy but tasted ok. I have now had green ants, termites and crocodile, I did see a few frill necked lizards in the garden.

WWII Tunnels

 The Japanese bombed Darwin over 60 times and there is still a lot of infrastructure around from back then. The fuel was stored in tanks on Stokes Hill but was obliterated a week after it was finished. So they went under ground, digging 400 metres into the hillside. The entry point was a little tight if people were coming out the same way. The larger tunnel opened out where displays and a film was running about the attacks. Only one is open from the 11 tunnels that were dug. The East Point defences have more to tell.

Mindil Beach Market

 Like a lot of things on this trip this market is a revisit. I am struggling to remember the last time at 32 yar ago but there were three children in tow who were hot, sticky and eaten by mossies. This time it was more relaxed even though there was more people. I would say it was about 60% food and 40% craft. The highlight is the sunset with a wide beach at low tide. The crowds applaud the Sun going down here. Must be a Darwin thing. We got a 5 minute pizza to share very tasty.

East RIde 2

 We got the bikes out again for a second ride around Fannie Bay. It is an appropriate name if you are using battered hotel bikes as your bum gets a workout here. We stopped at the food vans for an egg & bacon roll but with Darwin time this means it will take a while to get made. The market area was busy with all the setup going on for tonights Mindil Market however we could only see food vans. Time for a snooze as sleeping here is tricky with nightly concerts and high temperatures.

More Relos

We could describe Hayley as the last Darwin survivor giving it ago on her own here for the last 20 yar. We met her and boyfriend Dan at the Museum Cafe for a light lunch. She has switched from child care to advising carers while Dan loads the barges that service all the islands around here. Certainly a different lifestyle. The hotel was invaded for a ticketed event where comedians and singers have been belting it out so we retreated to the Lagoon Pool since they closed off the Horizon Pool again becuase we did not have ticket. How rude! We should have complained to Merrick when we were talking to him in the gym this morning.

Pool Time

 There are holiday rules like the nophasement rule. No matter what the problem work your way thru it without losing it. This was put to the test and still is with refurbishments requiring room changes and pool closures. yadayada.  Another rule is try to get back to the pool by mid afternoon and this pool is a doozey. The lagoon pool has been our venue for two days whilst the horizon pool has reopened today but does not seem to have as much shade.

pool supplies always in demand

One Hump or Two

 Where do they keep all their camels around here?...... Humpty Doo!!  Our driver was from there who also has pet crocodiles up to 4m long. The sunsets here are lingering and do not seem to need many clouds. Our home sunsets are better with clouds. The sports bar is a good venue for light meals however I am more impressed with the Townsville one but the locals don't care.  I tried the the lagoon pool again for a swim this morning and that is still a long way.

East Point Ride

 I got one of the hotel bikes out for a ride around the coast line to the East Point Reserve. I also did the loop through the Military Museum which added a few km. There are many points of interest, like knowing where all the sunset facing eateries are. There are plenty of good beach areas and park areas along the way with people in the water so they do seem concerned about anything that can bite. The military emplacements are huge, bigger than any of the German ones I have seen in France.