Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: cookie1 on August 06, 2011, 09:21:43 am
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Hi everyone. Today we are in Eucla. It is only 12 km from the WA/SA border.(western australia/south australia) So early tomorrow we will be in SA. We have travelled about 1450km from home. WE left WEdnesday morning. We've had 2 bush camps with our friends and fires and all thaqt sort of thing. Great fun. It has been very cold camping. The first night we had all our blankets on and I slept in great big fleecy PY's and my dressing gown and big socks.
DH has been enjoying having a couple of mates to chat too, the girls are usually getting meals. I've used the TMX each night we've had power. We could have used the generator but didn't.
I have lots of posts to read. I'll probably do a bit of skimming of them.
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Glad you have made it safely to the SA border. Keep enjoying yourselves and safe travels.
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what were those cliffs called that you were talking about cookie? you must be pretty close by?
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Cookie, have a great time. I used to love camping when the kids were little. Nice to be traveling with friends.
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Lovely to hear from you Cookie, camp fires are great fun - we used to throw our potatoes wrapped in alfoil in the coals and toast our bread on a very long handled fork. Gosh that seems like a 100 years ago now.
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Cookie be sure to make the most of your special holiday time - stay safe :)
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Before I replied Cookie I had to to look where you were on Google Earth. ;D Looks very beautiful right on the edge of the ocean,keep telling us where you are so I can travel with you ;) ;)
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Just thinking yesterday that I hadn't seen you on,wondered if you had left for your adventure. Have fun,I always enjoyed camping with friends ,everyone mucks in with food prep etc...lots of happy memories,sure you are making many
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Have a great trip. You are very brave camping in tnis cold weather, make lots of warming soup in you tm.
How long are you away for?
Hally
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Brrrrrr. Sounds very cold Cookie. Happy travels. :-* :-*
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Safe travels Cookie hope it is not tooooo cold
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Thank you all for the lovely words.
We're in Port Augusta at the moment for 2 nights. Time to buy more food and do some washing. At least we will be able to get the washing dry if it doesn't rain. When you move everyday it is rather difficult.
We saw a whale at one of the stops on The Great Australian Bight. It is ever so beautiful there, and some awesome cliffs. I will try to put some photos on here if I can manage some time. TMX has to make some bread tomorrow. WE bought some in Norseman and didn't like it much.
Take care everyone. Off to read some more posts.
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Hi Cookie. How many TMX's in your travelling group?
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Did another Google Earth to see where you are spending your two day stopover bread making and washing Cookie :D :D I see that you have travelled nearly another 1000km :o :o
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Denise, it's hard to conceive of just how large Australia is until you travel here. Going over 'The Nullarbor', which is the ONLY southern route from west to east, the places marked on the road maps are simply petrol stations, not towns or villages (or they were when we last crossed approx. 20 years ago, it may have changed now). That is indicative of just how remote these places are. I should clarify, when I say petrol stations, they are called Road Houses here and you can load up on food and often they have some fairly basic accommodation units as well.
Once again, I may be a bit out of date on what they are like now, but this is just to give you an idea of the enormity and emptiness of this country. It's really funny when you go to Europe after being in the outback for any length of time - the number and choice of roads to get from A to B is quite bewildering and overwhelming - the best comparison is probably in the Scottish Highlands - just the A9 and not too much else!
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Denise, it's hard to conceive of just how large Australia is until you travel here. Going over 'The Nullarbor', which is the ONLY southern route from west to east, the places marked on the road maps are simply petrol stations, not towns or villages (or they were when we last crossed approx. 20 years ago, it may have changed now). That is indicative of just how remote these places are. I should clarify, when I say petrol stations, they are called Road Houses here and you can load up on food and often they have some fairly basic accommodation units as well.
Once again, I may be a bit out of date on what they are like now, but this is just to give you an idea of the enormity and emptiness of this country. It's really funny when you go to Europe after being in the outback for any length of time - the number and choice of roads to get from A to B is quite bewildering and overwhelming - the best comparison is probably in the Scottish Highlands - just the A9 and not too much else!
I love looking on Google Earth to see where you all live in Oz ;D ;D It is difficult for me to understand how big your country is and the length of time some road trips take but I love looking at it all. 8)
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Marina, you are quite right. The'roadhouses' are about 200km apart and are exactly as you described.
Jan I have the only TMX. One other couple would love one but it is a bit out of their price range.
Off to Woomera tomorrow, and from there we'll drive out to Roxby and Andamooka without the vans.
We're all stocked up with fruit and vegies as they have a check in Ceduna and you can't carry any in to south Australia.
CC we're about 2300km from home now.
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cookie, thanks for taking the trouble and posting. We really enjoy hearing how and where you are going.
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We've moved on a little. We spent some time in Coober Pedy-the opal centre of the world. apparently they produce 80% of the world's opals. It is an amzing place and there has just been a new discovery about 47km NW of the the town. It is called Donna's Rush after the finders deceased daughter. I found that touching.
We went through one of the underground homes and it was really wonderful. Even had a pool. The dug outs don't need any shoring up as the ground is so stable. There are little heaps all over the place of stuff they dig up.
We're about 250km from Ayers Rock tonight and will be going out there tomorrow for 3 days. Just to see sunsets and sunrises on it. It is much warmer here in the Northern Territory.
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/nullabor033.jpg)
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/nullabor061.jpg)
The first photo is of me in a bush camp. It was freezing as you can see. The horrid hat was bought for me by a lady with us. I would much have preferred an Eagles beanie.
The second photo is of oour car and van out on the Nullabor.
Love to everyone
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Hi Cookie, great pics of you in the outback - would never have recognised you but you've got to do what you've got to do to keep warm.
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Nice hat haha but it looks warm. Glad you are having fun.
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Thanks for posting the photos Cookie, as real treat for us to see that you are safe and well.Don't worry about being fashionable just keep warm.You should see me sometimes when I'm dog walking,I look like a jumble sale refugee :D :D :D
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Lucky you cookie, not much warmer here at the mo,heatings Brocken ,should get myself one of those hats.
Lovely to hear of your travels have been wondering where you are. Looking forward to some speccy photos of the rock.
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Thanks for sharing your adventures with us Cookie - just keep travelling in a north easterly direction for a week or more and pop in for a chat!!!!! :D :D
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looks cold cookie, rug up and keep those pics coming. at least with the fancy hat you don't have to worry about what your hair looks like.
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Sounds excitng, woud love to go to cooper peddy, one day when ds is a little older.
Photos are good to see :)
H
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I'm back again. We're now at Yulara, the resort area for Ayer's Rock. We've been here 3 nights and move off to King's Canyon tomorrow. Only 314km so will be there for lunch and stay 2 nights.
We spent yesterday at the rock and the Olgas. It really is a special place. The sunset on the rock was really something. The colour of the rock changes every few minutes. One of our friends climbed a fair way up the rock. It exhausted him and he is very fit. It was closed for climbing today as it was very windy.
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/TripwithLLN163.jpg)
This is DH and I in front of the climbing part of the rock.
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/TripwithLLN185.jpg)The rock from a distance
Finally my TMX in the van. It has been busy making bread and cooking all sorts of meals.
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/TripwithLLN154.jpg)
My favourite photo that I took of Ayers Rock.(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/TripwithLLN168.jpg)
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Lovely photos Cookie and tucked in amongst all the beautiful scenery, a sight for sore eyes - your TMX kitchen, it fits well there.
Many grey nomads on the road apart from your little group?
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They're everywhere Judy. It always amazes me the number of people on the road travelling.
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We were in Broome about 5 years ago Charles Wooley from 60 mins was filming all the grey nomads and doing a documentary. I would say its even bigger now.
Enjoy
Hally :)
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Loved the photos Cookie :-* :-*
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Keep them coming cookie,it looks beautiful. I can imagine how wonderful it is traveling with Thermie .
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We're in aAlice Springs at the moment. We've been here for 4 nights and leave in 3 sleeps. It is a different sort of place but we like it very much. On Saturday we went to the Henley on Todd. It is a sailing regatta held in a dry river bed. It is very funny. I'll post some pictures of it tomorrow.
The scenery out in the Macdonnell ranges from here is very nice. Lots of lovely things to do and see.
Tonight after a day out walking the tops of a couple of gorges we bought some chicken and wsent up to the top of Anzac Hill and watched the sun set.
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Sounds like you are getting plenty of exercise Cookie ;)
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Great photo's Cookie.
Years ago my grandparents (Now both gone) went to Ayers Rock and come home with a magnet saying ' I didn't climb Ayers Rock'. I still have that magnet.
My grand father did alot of filming and we used to have to sit and watch all the videos, I can remember watching about 30 minutes straight of ant hills filmed while they were traveling in their van. OMG I can still remember feeling sick watching them lol.
Have lots of fun and 2 minutes of filming ant hills is more than enough lol.
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Lovely to hear from you Cookie.Still following your progress on Google Earth. :)
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Cookie, great reports and photos, we are all traveling with you. What sort of things are you cooking in TMX?
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I was just thinking of you today, thought you were probably at some remote part of your trip as we haven't heard from you for a couple of days. stunning pics!
(just had to look up the meaning of grey nomads...ha ha)
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Great photos Cookie glad you are DH are enjoying yourselves
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Photos as promised.
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/AliceSprings060.jpg) This is the Henley on Todd. The sailing regatta in the dry river bed.
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/AliceSprings101.jpg) This is Trephina Gorge in the range east of Alice Springs. DH and I walked around the rim, it was amazing. When we came down we had to walk through the water on the floor of the gorge. It was only a few inches deep. I found that the walking shoes I bought before we left are waterproof as well. :D You can just see some people down by the water.
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Cookie,looks wonderful- igniting my desire to see some more of aus. We used to go camping a lot when the kids were little. Been too busy with our business of late.
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Amazing photos Cookie. :)
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Everyone says the gorges up there are wonderful, your photo proves it Cookie. Thank you so much for posting these photos for us.
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Cookie your photo's are bringing back many memories of my travels through that part when I was a teen. I would so dearly love to go back NOW. I just loved it!!!
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Beautiful photos, Cookie. I have never been to that part of Australia and would love to go (another grey nomad to add to the thousands already up there!) - you should look at starting an Aus travel agency with the photos you have been taking - they have a much more personal, down to earth and 'real' flavour than the ones you see in travel agencies.
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oh brings back memories..did hte whole central australia trip when i was quite young (16) and loved it except the red dust that got into everything...and the henley on todd would have been a laugh...know it but never actually been to it...im sure it owuld have been a laugh cookie and lots of interesting characters up that way :)
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Thank you Cookie for sharing parts of your outback journey with us - great pics!!!!! :) :)
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Chookie I mainly make casseroles, risotto, chicken and vegies with sauce likie baf's and also bread, biscuits and the occasional cake. I haven't made a rice pudding despite hints.
We're at Mataranka at the moment. Spent most of the afternoon in the thermal pools and feeding the wallabies around. We went onto an airfield from World War 2 today. It was in the bush and the runway was still quite clear of plant life. It must have been compacted well. We all drove our cars and vans down the runway and acted like 2 year olds. Great fun.
We had an exciting bush camp a few nights ago. the place we stopped was right next to the main highway, also the train line that goes from Adelaide to Darwin. (Ghan line)
Would you believe 3 trains went through during the night, road trains went up and down the highway all night and than at 4am some locals came in and partied (with only 1 CD being repeated) until 6am. We won't be stopping there again. But it is all part of the fun.
We spent last night at Daly Waters. There is only 1 or 2 houses there, a hotel and a caravan park. The hotel had a live show-a comedian. He was very funny. It seemed weird out in the middle of no where.
Tomorrow we will be going a little closer to Darwin.
Will try to post some photos asap.
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Typed in Mataranka in Google Earth to see where you are Cookie and would you believe there is a place with the same name in my home County of Cornwall!! Looking forward to seeing the pictures.How come no rice pudding for DH? :D
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Getting closer Cookie, having lived in the NT the names are now familiar. XH used to have to go right down to those places with his work (fixing petrol bowsers). Stay safe and enjoy the warmth.
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What fun Cookie, we are still all with you. Thanks for the info about what you are cooking, just like home ;D ;D ;D
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Cookie your posts are bringing back great memories of the 9 month trip we did around Australia last year with the kids. We loved the NT have many great memories of Materanka, Bitter Springs and we loved Daly Waters. My husband is a great sailor so would have LOVED to have seen the Henley on Todd. Keep having fun and dont miss Douglas Hot Springs!
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You lucky lucky girl soaking in those springs. Love the Mataranka thermal pools.
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Thanks for all the lovely wishes. I'm not getting onto the forum as much as I would like but then I can catch up when I get home. At the moment we are in Batchelor (Rum Jungle-site of Australia's first uranium mine). It was 36 degrees here today. A big shock to us all. We spent the day out in Litchfield National Park looking at the waterfalls, rock pools, and gorges. Had a couple of swims too.(where there wasn't crocs)
Darwin tomorrow.
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Almost there Cookie, do you have a/c in your van for when it gets too hot for you?
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Don't envy the 36c Cookie :P Looked on Google Earth to see where you are,only 100km and you will reach Darwin.Yay!!
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We've been in Darwin since last Tuesday. Having great fun. We had fish and chips down on the wharf last night and tonight went to the Mindil Beach Markets. Termite isn't being used much at the moment as it is very hot. We spend the morning and part of the early afternoon sight seeing, and come back to the van and then go and have a swim in the pool.
As we've been here several times before we kind of know where we're going. Relaxing as well as fun.
We saw a lovely sunset at Mindil Beach tonight as there are lots of fires around and they make it more beautiful.
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Sounds absolutely wonderful cookie! Still cold here in Nyabing, so I envy you the warm weather.
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Storms here (apparently) in Perth cookie - wow, its been pretty quiet where I am and I spose tomorow I will hear about all the damage but I can't help think that the forecast was wrong from where I sit.
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Wow it sounds like your having a wonderful time Cookie1. Although I had to read your last post twice cause I thought you said you watched the sunset and their were lots of flies around which made it beautiful lol.
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Glad you are relaxing as well as having fun Cookie. Those sunsets are very special up there. I do envy you in the warm weather- it's overcast and wet here today. The first 2 days of spring have been miserable :( Happy travels :-*
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Hi everyone. We leave DArwin tomorrow and go south to Katherine for a bit. I'm really sick of the heat and humidity. They say that the build up to the wet has started. We've been spending each afternoon in the pool. I stupidly got sunburned the other day.
It has been lovely eating mangoes etc. I tasted my first star apple over the weekend. I hadn't even seen one before.
Here is a photo of a frequent visitor we had at Mataranka and a photo of me in front of the curtain fig. (they're not as good as the
Q'land ones)(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/2011tripupthecentre373.jpg)
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/2011tripupthecentre377.jpg)
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Still following your progress Cookie. ;D Never heard of a Star Apple so I've learnt something new today, probably will never taste one as apparently they don't transport well. :P
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I can see just by looking at the ground in your photo's how dry and hot it must be. We are having beautiful Spring weather in Perth atm (but you don't want to hear that...).
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Completely different weather than we having here in Tassie, Although a nice sunny day today I still kept my jumper on. Not quiet tshirt weather here yet.
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Cookie, you look tanned and healthy. All that outdoors and sunshine. I am heading off to the sunny UK on Sunday ( well hears hoping) just when we are tasting some beautiful spring weather. Going to a big revival car show in Goodwood. Can't take Thermie I'm afraid. My girls are going to keep him warm though. Wish I could go to Yoke's book launch,haven't done the class yet as she didn't respond to my email. Probably a bit much expecting my daughters to keep a sour dough alive for a month anyway. Something to look forward to on my return.
Sorry for the essay everyone, keep enjoying your travels and keep us informed. What a wonderful world we live in to be ble to communicate from all areas of the globe.
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Have a wonderful trip Denise.
Ooh, do I really look tanned? DD will kill me.(I have a bit of trouble with melanomas)
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/2011trippart2014.jpg)
This is sunset on Mindil Beach in Darwin after we'd been to the markets there. So beautiful.
We're heading off toward Kununnura tomorrow.
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That sunset is beautifull.......
Dream on Hally
:)
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Oh you've got me there with the sunset picture Cookie - how beautiful is that. Enjoy the next leg of your trip.
Denise, have a great trip - how long will you be away?
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Cookie,beautiful,was it really that red.
Judy,UK for 3 weeks and Paris for the last week( highlight for me,market tour nd cooking class in Paris). hopefully be able to keep in touch just won't be cooking with Thermie.
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That's one special picture Cookie :o
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Bring your winter clothing with you Denise,Autumn is knocking on the door here in the UK :P
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CC, I am almost hoping to have some wintry weather. I was born in the UK,immigrated when I was 5, my husband born in oz, however he is in love with the place and every time we visit it has been magical weather. Even Christmas a couple of years back most snow for lots of years but it was sunny and beautiful. So, if we get some drizzly grey weather it may just cure him. All my relies joke that my DH brings the sunshine. Don't get me wrong it is a beautiful place to visit but I am sure there are other lovely places too!
What a lovely gift you sent to JD. She is wonderful and always there to encourage and answer any queries. Thank you for showing her how much we all appreciate her. So many kind hearted people here you obviously have a big one.x
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Well we are back in WA and in Kununurra at the moment. This is such a lovely place. We drove over to Wyndham today and did all the touristy things there.
We went to the market here yesterday and I saw my first TMX for the trip. It was very exciting. I asked the consultant if I could photograph her and her TMX and she said ok. Here (http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=7213.0) they are.
Denise the photos of sunsets up here a great at the moment and certainly don't need any enhancing (if I could do it) as there are lots of fires in the NT. Here is a sunset from our bush camp before we got to Kununurra
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/2011trippart2117.jpg)
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Such lovely photos cookie. Please keep posting them.
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sounds like your having fun cookie....keep the photos and updates coming... :-*
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Another fabulous photo Cookie.Nice to know you are your way back to us all. ;D
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Cookie again thank you for sharing your memories with us. I think all who have experienced the magical of the Darwin sunsets have a similar photo. For us eastern Oz-ians a sunset of the ocean is breathtaking!! The Nth of your wonderful state is somewhere I could certainly spend a few winter months. :) :)
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We're in Broome at the moment. It is a lovely spot. Certainly much busier than when we lived here in the 70's. We've been back several times since then but see great changes every time.
I hope to post a couple of photos of the beauty here but am having trouble at the moment.
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Well we get home tomorrow. It is hard to believe we have been away so long. It has been great fun. Next year's interstate trip is going to be the trip we were supposed to do a couple of years ago. To South Australia.
This is photo of a boab tree in Derby. they are so lovely.(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/2011trippart2195.jpg)
I saw these pipe loaf tins in the musuem of the Durack Homestead at Lake Argyle near Kununurra.(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/2011trippart2151.jpg)
Broome is very pretty. This was taken at Gantheaume Point.(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh142/birdsam/holiday/2011trippart2207.jpg)
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Beautiful pictures again Cookie and what a pity your holiday is coming to an end. Yay for the trip to SA next year.
It will be nice to have you back on the forum once you have unpacked and cleaned the van.
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Stunning pictures Cookie of the Baobab tree and Gantheaume Point.I bet your DD will be pleased that you are home tomorrow. ;D
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love the photos and glad to hear you will be back home and on the forum lol
love that tree shot too and WA is very pretty in alot of areas ..pity about the residents :D :D :D :D :D :P :P :P just kidding !
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Love your sense of humour Frozzie........I think. :D :D
We're home now and in between washing and cleaning the car and van I keep jumping on here to read the million posts I haven't read in the last 7½ weeks.
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Wow your Back Cookie1, Bet its nice to be home :). You will be reading old posts for the next couple of weeks before you catch up.
Great to have you back
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Love your sense of humour Frozzie........I think. :D :D
just kidding around...love all you WA lovelies ;D
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No worries Frozzie. I knew you were kidding.
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Lovely to see you back Cookie - I see you are busy doing your moderating and moving things around, thanks for keeping our forum tidy 8)
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That's me. 8) 8) Lurking. 8) 8) ;D
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Cookie, so glad you are home and safe. ;D ;D ;D