Blog 3 The trip back home

We spent Wednesday packing our stuff away, and cleaning the van etc, Thursday we “buged out’, and made the long trip across the road, it’s amazing it takes as much work whether you are moving across the road or across the state. We then settled into a unit for the night.

Thursday night saw dinner at the bistro with the remaining group, followed by drinks and more drinks beside the pool.

Friday morning saw us jump on a plane back to Townsville to see our son off to the RAAF.

The next couple of weeks were hectic with a party for Lucas on the 9^th, Nicole and Dan and Tyson came up for the weekend, so we had a great family get together.

The pit fire in the back yard burnt from Friday night until Tuesday morning. The party was on the Saturday night and the weekend was finished with David doing a Kup Murri in the remnants of the fire on the Sunday night.

Managed a couple of days into the Army Museum of North Queensland to catch up and get myself more work for the road.

Caught up with very dear friends Lyn and Paul for a arvo session on Sunday 16th.

Alan Benson and his lovely wife Lyn along with Lyn’s brother and wife arrived on Monday in their vans for a couple of nights stay, so our yard is now a temporary caravan park, seems strange to have other vans here but not ours

Tuesday we saw Lucas off, first, was the swearing in ceremony, then out to the airport to see him off.

His sister (Michelle) took great pleasure in giving him short back and sides the night before.

Now we have to again pack and get back to Darwin to continue the trip.



Because Lucas will be marching out in 10 weeks we have decided to change our plans. We are now going to go south through Alice springs, doing Yulara and the McDonald ranges, then through to Adelaide, stay there for a while and then work our way across to Wagga Wagga for Lucas’s march out parade.

The following Friday we jumped on a plane back to Darwin, followed by a Taxi ride to the U store it place where our car and van was only to find the car battery flat, got AANT out, who got us started and we moved back across to the Free Spirit caravan park where we set up again for a couple of nights. Put the battery on trickle charge for the night. We ran into BJ and Helen who are of course still there, but also ran into Rob in his A van, he didn’t leave, liked the place so much he stayed on.

We stocked up on groceries and drinks and on Sunday we moved south, stopped at Adelaide River and paid our respects at the War Cemetery there.

Then we moved south again into the Shady Lane park at Katherine. We had two nights at Katherine, first night we got our drinks to do our usual afternoon walk, only got as far as the van next door and ended up staying for happy hour with them, Ann and Andy. Andy is a vet, ex 3Cav reg. speaking to him the next morning I suggested if he was ever in Townsville, to visit the Army museum, explaining I did volunteer work there, turns out he is a volunteer at the AHU museum at Bandiana.

 The next night who turns up but Rob, beginning to suspect he is stalking usJ

Drove south to Daley Waters (Bob Followed us) for another barra meal, was a bit disappointed this time with the meal but the entertainment was great.

We are now in Tennent Creek for the night so tomorrow another adventure begins as we move into unchartered territory. Bob is packed two vans away, but tomorrow he is heading East into glorious Queensland.