Over 50 Aussie female solo traveller USA road trip and beyond

Rock Art

Started the day with an 86km trip to Ubirr to see Aboriginal Rock Art. Advice to everyone. Before leaving your hotel in the Northern Territory, check to see if the places you plan to attend are open. As many of the tourist and heritage sites are owned by the indigenous Aboriginals, they observe mourning of elders and close various sites as a sign of respect. This was the case this morning with Ubirr. It was disappointing but when travelling the unexpected occurs and in this instance it is important to follow and respect the traditions. I went to the next stop on my way to Katherine, Nourlangie (Burrungkuy)

There is a track which is well signposted. The Shelter is a little steep but not too difficult. Just make sure to take lots of water for these walks

I was so excited to see sacred rock art and the stories are thousands of years old.

My favourite piece is this which represents singing and dancing

The walk up to the lookout looks more difficult than it is and worth doing.

Kakadu

It is thanks to South Australia once and twice to Tasmania closing their borders in the past year that I am in the Northern Territory. NT have been much more sensible to Covid19 management, much like NSW who did not close their border to everyone for one case. Today I drove the 2.5 hours from Darwin to Kakadu.

Drove from my hotel Mercure Crocodile Hotel to Cooinda Lodge to get the tour for Yellow Waters. These signs deter you from stopping to look for crocodiles? I expect instead of catching lunch you may become dinner.

Yellow Waters Cruise and I recommend the sunset cruise is a must do in Kakadu. Our tour guide was Lily who is very knowledgeable and humorous. She loves what she does. Every time something caught someone’s eye she would steer the boat back for us to get the best vantage point. This is the proof. Thank you Lily.

Darwin 20 May 2021

Aquascene in Doctor’s Gully is a sanctuary for fish. They come in at high tide. You can feed the fish which include barramundi, catfish, mangrove jack, mud crabs, stingrays and others.You can stand in the water and they swim around your legs. No crocodiles or sharks here. The harbour fisheries remove any sharks and crocodiles which come into the harbour as soon as they are spotted. Around 200 crocodiles are removed each year.

End the day with a Mindil Beach sunset

Darwin WWII Museum

The first time I realised Darwin, well, anywhere in Australia was bombed during WWII was in Baz Luhurmann’s epic movie “Australia “. I knew Japanese minisubmarines entered Sydney Harbour but I never learned any of this at school!! It’s a disgrace we weren’t taught this important history. The museum shares Darwin WWII stories of people from all walks of life and embarrassingly made me aware of my lack of historical knowledge of my country. Sure I am first generation Australian born of Italian parents but this history should be mandatory in school. This museum is set in pretty grounds with lots of equipment salvaged from the bombing.

More than 270 people perished on 19 February 1942. Luckily the government evacuated women and children following the bombing of Pearl Harbour. But Darwin was taken by surprise.

List of enemy aircraft and what was attacked

Here is a statue representing The Digger and all who have served, past and present, to pritect our freedom and Gunner the kelpie who alerted allies when Japanese aircraft were approaching.

On my travels I have also learned about Japanese and German boats and mines along the New South Wales coastline during WWII. These maps from the Fisherman’s Cottage Museum in South West Rocks NSW show the positions of mines and the loss of life and vessels

Darwin Day 3

Oh the weather here is fabulous. Funnily the locals told me it was cold at 25 this morning. Darwin city is so pretty with an area called the Waterfront. Lovely cafes and restaurants and an area to swim which is protected from crocodiles and Box Jellyfish.

The Parliament House looks like it is from a tropical island.

WWII Darwin was bombed by the Japanese for 6 months. Hard to imagine this harbour under attack

Oil storage Tunnels were built but the war ended prior to them being used

Puppet “The Digger” was made from WWII parts.

Some of Darwin

Darwin Day 2

Visited the Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory MAGNT as it has a history of Australia’s most devastating Cyclone, Tracy.

Tracy destroyed Darwin on Christmas Day 1974 and left 48000 people homeless. MAGNT also had Year 12 Art student exhibits. Some amazing talent but I felt a lot of sadness from their art works which depicted their fears, loneliness, confusion and anger experienced during this pandemic and how art helped them cope.

For my overseas friends who always wonder how we can live in a country with the most venomous animals in the world, I learned we have cute coral and plants which are deadly also.

But this part of the world is known for crocodiles. Sweetheart had a reputation for attacking boat outboard motors, not humans.

Across the road from MAGNT is Fannie Bay. Don’t be deceived by how pretty it looks. Not a good time to swim here with deadly box Jellyfish in season.

Darwin

My first plane trip since November 2019. Like many people I have had several trips cancelled because of the pandemic. London, Port Lincoln, Tasmania twice. I am so happy this trip did not get cancelled. Do I remember what to do? It was different. Had to wear a mask for 4 hours but I am travelling again!! This is my first time in the Northern Territory.

Hello Darwin! Oh the weather is divine. I left Sydney this morning 8 degrees Celsius. Darwin is 31!! First stop is the Palm City Resort. Dumped my bags and explored The Esplanade through Bicentennial Park.

The sunsets here in Darwin are spectacular. I couldn’t get to a beach in time but this view isn’t bad.

Had one of the best Italian meals at the Il Piatto at the Mindil Beach Resort Casino. I think I am starting to remember how to do this

Easter 2021

First break away since Covid19 with my previous trip overseas was a 30 day Trans Pacific cruise in December 2019.

CV19 has forced us to look at what is in our backyard. As most countries around the world, Australia does not allow us to leave our country. Not such a bad thing when you have this beauty nearby.

With our low rates of CV19 most of our country has opened up for Easter. Queensland has caused a bit of panic with 2 clusters shutting down the Greater Brisbane area and the Byron Bay area of NSW is under some restrictions but on the whole we finally have some freedoms.

Avoca Beach is 1.5 hours from Sydney in an area known as the Central Coast of NSW with 40 beaches.

Five minute drive down the road is Copacabana Beach. Not to be confused with the one in Rio de Janeiro, which I have been to several times. This Beach has no crime, no oil slicks, no crowds, no high rise. It does have clean sand and surf, surfing, fishing and a slow beach lifestyle.

We stopped in a town called Kurri Kurri and discovered the Big Kookaburra

Kurri Kurri was a mining town and the town depicts some of its history with murals throughout the town

Covid19 travels

2 January 2021

My last trip was in December 2019, a 30 day cruise from Honolulu to Sydney on the fabulous Norweian Jewel . Who knew what was to hit the world. As many in my Australian state of New South Wales, we cannot leave our country and more often our state is shut off from the rest of Australia. I have been working for an essential service so had funds to renovate my home, which was a distraction until our restrictions would be lifted.

As many people I had travel plans for Great Britain – cancelled. Then we were able to travel within Australia so Christmas was booked with family in Port Lincoln – cancelled. New Years Eve in Tasmania – cancelled. So we had a Covid19 safe Christmas and New Year celebration at home. There was a very big positive to Covid19 and that was my boys and I were together for these celebrations for the first time in 7 years.

Today was the first time I have travelled from my home since December 2019 by driving 1.5 hours north of Sydney. First stop the lovely Hawkesbury River

Next stop Somesby Falls just outside Gosford.

A colourful bush turkey.

Onward to Norahead to the lighthouse built in 1903

Which overlooks a popular rock fishing spot

Budgewoi a quaint fishing spot.

Caves Beach has 2 faces. A family beach and caves which can be explore at very low tide

Covid19 has taken away a lot of our freedoms but given us the opportunity to appreciaate what we have in our backyard.

Love tree of Budgewoi.

Houseboat

All aboard

Captain Elise

45 minutes from Sydney Harbour is a totally different water world, the Hawkesbury River. This was the location for my 60th birthday celebration, on the Banjo Paterson houseboat on this beautiful part of Sydney. I celebrated four days with 8 of my closest and dearest.

Dinner

Breakfast

Snacks, champagne wine