Well Folks, I have just finished my ironing before the Big Day, tomorrow the 20th April I start North leaving here Bunbury and driving 550 Klicks (That is Kilometres divided by 1.6 to get the miles) for Dongara which will take about 6/7 hours.
This has been a great week (Sorry Folks if I sound like I am rubbing it in, I am not, it has been just a fact) My Camper-Van, from here on in to referred to as NCS (The Nutcracker Sweet), has been brought upto speed and passed all the tests, and with the help of my Friends Ron & Gloria, Ron being Mr.Camper-Van, has planned the route, checked out NCS, advised me on all matters Camping Sites, the good, the bad, and the down right ugly, right the way through to Darwin
Gloria has kept me fed and watered and I have gained weight.
Now the week, The Easter weekend was spent Camping at Margaret River with Friends from Perth (Photo's to come , once I have learnt to post them) wild life galore, Kangaroo's (A 300 Herd) Cockatoo's (Flocks) Possums (Plenty) 5 Kookaburra's (A Laughing Bird) who ate out of our hand. Under-Canvas here was an experience, there was a problem of where to put the Fridge and the Kitchen Sink!! but we managed. Never drank so much Beer in my Life!! but it was a super weekend.
I had intended to buy 2 Jack-Russells some time soon, but since I have learnt that by observation that they are the National Dog of Australia (everybody seems to have one) and that there are so many restrictions at Camping-Sites, I have had to put that one on the back-burner, Sorry Dogs you would have enjoyed it!!
To those of you who have emailed me, thanks Guys it is appreciated, especially my long-time friend Mike Sanderson, we have been Mate's since we were 10 years of age and boy! do we have stories to tell, they may appear from time to time as Commercial breaks, so watch for them!
I have not yet decided on which ISP I will be using, they are so different, the coverage in some cases is un-reliable and price? Strewth Mates! from 15 Pounds (Basic) per month to 60 Pounds for one that may, I stress may, give me coverage. So as I travel I will pick the brains of fellow travellers and then decide.That means that I will be using the Library Service and local Telephone Centres to reply, so please bear with me as I learn the rules to this
new game.
By the way NCS is fully automatic, and when we cleaning and checking we found (After buying 4 New Tyres) a New unused tyre under the rear step! She now has 6 Tyres!!!!!
My Journey Plan will change quite dramatically from the one 1st Posted, and I can do Darwin in 2 Months (I had judged 4 Months) the interesting places I am about to encounter will be posted as I progress.
So Keep well all.
Nigel JG
Sunday 19 April 2009
Wednesday 8 April 2009
Thursday 9th April 2009
Hi folks,
Well here I am 7 days in (today 9th April) and boy! what a trip. Let me start at the beginning, many of you will know what a problem it has been to get here, since November 2008 when I made contact with the Australian High Commission to make an appointment to get my long term paper Visa, only to be informed I could do it all on-line!, super! I thought, so cracked on and filled in the necesseries and sent them down the line, then sat back and awaited my visa.
One week later a call, plus an email from the Commission was to question me a to what I was doing in the UK, as they had me still on-shore Australia since 1990!!!!!! well since then I have had to surmount many hurdles and even at one stage thought forget it mate, stay at home, but it was a challenge, and so forth to battle, perseverence won out and my visa duly arrived.
After journeying up to Windsor on the 30th March, to stay overnight with Peter & Catherine (Longstanding Friends) I arrived at London Heathrow bright and early (7pm) to catch the 10.05pm flight to Perth, via Singapore, only to be directed to the Airport Immigration Desk, where I spent an hour proving once again that I had a right of entry to Australia. Once done and dusted, we departed on-time, although it was the new A380 Airbus, it really was cattle class (583 passengers) but being in the Emergency Exit seats eased the pain!
The flight was uneventful and arrived at Singapore on-time, I had just 45 mins to run and board the Perth Flight. Funny thing happened though, I needed a "Pee" and with my short fat hairy legs ran to the nearest Loo as fast as I could, what a relief! but! and this is the funny part when in Hong Kong amidst the expat "Gang" there was a Russian Woman who had been hired to design the mens Urinals at the New Airport, (Chep Lap Kok) and to avoid "splashbacks" she had to design some form of a target for us Boys to aim at, well in the bottom of my Pee Pot was the target "A Bee" and that brought a smile to my face, as she had thought that one up!
Arrived at Perth on-time and thought that by now I would be greeted by the Australian Tax Authorities, to my utter surprise there was Christina Hill (Steve was at work) waiting for me to whisk me to what has been a Haven of respite and Hospitality (5 Star) which has allowed me to get my breath, overcome jet-lag and settle.
I have seen all the sights (Freemantle & Perth) and again boy! how things have changed since I was here 20 years ago, but all for the better, took a trip yesterday (8th) to Perenjori, only 800 klicks up the line to visit with Dorothy (Chris's Mother) who is poorly, but what a trip!
I should just tell you that at this time of the year (Winter is upon us) when it is only 28/30 in the shade, the Old Folks (Called here Grey Nomads) all head North, so I am not alone in my adventure, I shall be meeting many like-minded people (Will have to dye my hair Black).
Folks I have my Camper-Van, had it serviced, new tyres, filled with Petrol @ 52p per litre, and we are ready, her name "The Nutcracker Sweet" why you ask? well I have worked my Nut's off for this trip, but you can read between the lines if you wish.
This weekend, we test the Van, we travel 4 hours down the line to "Margaret River" (the Easter Break) a testing time indeed, then next Wednesday 15th I travel to stay with Ron & Gloria Moss at Bunbury.
Next up-date 7 days time.
Regards
Nigel JG
Well here I am 7 days in (today 9th April) and boy! what a trip. Let me start at the beginning, many of you will know what a problem it has been to get here, since November 2008 when I made contact with the Australian High Commission to make an appointment to get my long term paper Visa, only to be informed I could do it all on-line!, super! I thought, so cracked on and filled in the necesseries and sent them down the line, then sat back and awaited my visa.
One week later a call, plus an email from the Commission was to question me a to what I was doing in the UK, as they had me still on-shore Australia since 1990!!!!!! well since then I have had to surmount many hurdles and even at one stage thought forget it mate, stay at home, but it was a challenge, and so forth to battle, perseverence won out and my visa duly arrived.
After journeying up to Windsor on the 30th March, to stay overnight with Peter & Catherine (Longstanding Friends) I arrived at London Heathrow bright and early (7pm) to catch the 10.05pm flight to Perth, via Singapore, only to be directed to the Airport Immigration Desk, where I spent an hour proving once again that I had a right of entry to Australia. Once done and dusted, we departed on-time, although it was the new A380 Airbus, it really was cattle class (583 passengers) but being in the Emergency Exit seats eased the pain!
The flight was uneventful and arrived at Singapore on-time, I had just 45 mins to run and board the Perth Flight. Funny thing happened though, I needed a "Pee" and with my short fat hairy legs ran to the nearest Loo as fast as I could, what a relief! but! and this is the funny part when in Hong Kong amidst the expat "Gang" there was a Russian Woman who had been hired to design the mens Urinals at the New Airport, (Chep Lap Kok) and to avoid "splashbacks" she had to design some form of a target for us Boys to aim at, well in the bottom of my Pee Pot was the target "A Bee" and that brought a smile to my face, as she had thought that one up!
Arrived at Perth on-time and thought that by now I would be greeted by the Australian Tax Authorities, to my utter surprise there was Christina Hill (Steve was at work) waiting for me to whisk me to what has been a Haven of respite and Hospitality (5 Star) which has allowed me to get my breath, overcome jet-lag and settle.
I have seen all the sights (Freemantle & Perth) and again boy! how things have changed since I was here 20 years ago, but all for the better, took a trip yesterday (8th) to Perenjori, only 800 klicks up the line to visit with Dorothy (Chris's Mother) who is poorly, but what a trip!
I should just tell you that at this time of the year (Winter is upon us) when it is only 28/30 in the shade, the Old Folks (Called here Grey Nomads) all head North, so I am not alone in my adventure, I shall be meeting many like-minded people (Will have to dye my hair Black).
Folks I have my Camper-Van, had it serviced, new tyres, filled with Petrol @ 52p per litre, and we are ready, her name "The Nutcracker Sweet" why you ask? well I have worked my Nut's off for this trip, but you can read between the lines if you wish.
This weekend, we test the Van, we travel 4 hours down the line to "Margaret River" (the Easter Break) a testing time indeed, then next Wednesday 15th I travel to stay with Ron & Gloria Moss at Bunbury.
Next up-date 7 days time.
Regards
Nigel JG
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