Maggie & Clive's Big Aussie Adventure

Have managed to get internet access but don't know if I can load photos. We have had the most amazing time and today is our last full day in Oz. The show and the teaching went well - here is Dale at the show - it was not so much a stand as a smallholding.






Wonderful to meet so many stitchy Aussies and especially great to meet Aussie Jo and Doreen. We all went out for a meal and I'm sure the pics will soon be on their blogs.



Perth is wonderful - we've seen kangaroos (check out the eyelashes), parrots and today we saw a pelican.










Spent the day in Fremantle, home of the world's best fish and chips.


What else have we done? For me the highlight was a three-day tour of the Kakadu National Park (and neighbouring parts) in the Northern Territory. There were only eight people in our group, six seats each in a 48-seater coach. Luxury! We visited two centres of aboriginal rock art, both excellent, both located in hilly country, overlooked by great towers of rock.



I was bowled over by the art and asked our knowledgeable guide if I could do some drawing - I think you have to be careful of other peoples beliefs. He told me which ones had been OKd for postcards as they were not considered sacred. I had some watercolour paper cut to postcard size but no paints of any kind. Had to resort to squeezing a lemon over the paper and then rubbing them in the orange/ochre coloured earth. Drew with a writing pen and then ran it under the tap as it was too heavy. Worked fine - especially when a little brown eyeshadow and a lip pencil came into play.







I also used my pogo printer and drew into the photos. Here the photos are at the top and the drawing continues at the bottom.






We went on cruises too - on this one the boat crew held out lumps of meet on ropes to tempt the crocodiles to jump - which they did. These were saltwater (estuarine) crocodiles - the biggest and most ferocious in the world, some up to 20 feet long. They are protected and have spread from the coast to the extent that virtually no rivers nor billabongs are safe for swimming. Lots of crocs and lots of film (still and movie). Then came the kites, also tempted by food.








Sunsets I have seen;


Darwin - the Pacific.




Perth - the Indian Ocean. Lots of surfers here.





We have only had rain at night or in the early morning and the weather has been wonderful everywhere. Looking forward to a bit of sog at home - quite miss it.

At the crack of dawn tomorrow, we leave for Hong Kong, then one night on the plane and it's back to good old Blighty. It's been a fantastic adventure but I miss home and the kids. Back soon.