Dancin to Darwin....

I have to first say sorry to my followers for getting behind in my Dance of Happiness trip around Australia.  Between computer problems and the sun finally coming out in Victoria I haven't been able to update my posts.  But I will do my best to update you as quick as possible!
So I left Edith Falls, still travelling solo a week ago last year.  I cranked the speakers in Applejack and sung my little heart out all the way to Darwin where I was staying with my friend Renee for the night.  I have to say I was surprised at how much I enjoyed my own company!  I had needed a break and this trip which I can remember talking about wanting to do since High School was the best thing that I have experienced in my life.  I can't exactly remember what I thought about while driving on these very quiet roads but I do remember never feeling annoyed or upset.  Just complete happiness and peace.  When I think back to these days of driving, I smile to think about how happy I was considering how hot it was.  I'm talking 35-45 degrees everyday.  You will notice I had a headband on in all my pictures and this was to soak up the sweat.  I stuck to Applejack but for some reason even the feeling of dripping with sweat made me feel alive and I knew I was on the right road in life.

With Renee's address in a text message on my phone I made my way to her house for a cup of tea and a hug.  We couldn't remember the last time we had seen each other so we had a lot to catch up on but I was also desperate to buy a camera after mine got wet at Mataranka Thermal Pools.  Taking photos was one of my favourite things to do on the trip so I was feeling lost without it.
A little annoyed about having to fork out the extra money I drove into the big smoke of Darwin and finally found a Dick Smith.  I nearly wrote I was completely lost but I guess you can't be lost if you don't have a real destination.  I think it was all meant to be anyway, as I ended up with a great camera for a great price and a few free extras so I was stoked.

My catch up with Renee went to quick but she had to fly back to our hometown the next day so we hugged goodbye and I discovered Darwin alone again.  At some point I had to buy a dress for a wedding I was attending in Perth in November and knowing the next couple of weeks would be remote I searched for a shopping centre.  I can't describe how nice it was to relax in the air-conditioning for a while and randomly run into a familiar and friendly face of another friend from home, Fleur.
I had bought the few things I needed so I faced the heat again and took the advice of my friends Luke and Alicia from Perth and visited their good friends Craig and Angela.  I had never met these people before but it felt like we had known each other for years after introducing ourselves over a beer.  These two new friends then told me I should check out Darwin city and introduce myself to their friend who was working at Happy High Herbs for the night.  I thought why the hell not, I was having such a great time meeting people that I thought I should follow some more advice.  I ended up sitting with another stranger for a couple of hours, had a few herbal teas before going with her to see some of her friends and family.  I was loving Darwin and the locals!  She offered for us to park in her brothers street for the night but I knew I wouldn't be able to find it again after picking Kristy up from the airport at 1am.   I was lucky we were heading in the same direction otherwise Kristy would have been waiting awhile for me as I didn't have a GPS or any maps so I never really knew where I was going.

When I saw Kristy walk off the plane I got really excited.  It was time to run a muck on the Dance Of Happiness and first stop was back in the bright lights of Darwin!



This is where it began with Kristy.  She was already being a pain in the ass..excited but not letting me take her photo...it soon changed. haha



WAS IT A UFO? WAS IT A PLANE? OR WAS IT A MOSQUITO?

I had another random early morning wake up and quickly whacked Ryan in the head to show him the bright object flying across the sky above us.  I thought I had sighted a UFO at Edith Falls but we took a breath, sighed with disappointment and had a laugh when we heard the plane. We had dragged our beds under the stars to only end up getting eaten by mosquito's.  This was the first but as you will find out not the last time I spent the night out of Applejack but he was definitely the snuggest place to sleep!
It was hard to get back to sleep with the mosquito's buzzing round our heads and the sun beating down on us so we thought we'd freshen up in the water but I was too scared to even dip my toe in when I read the sign "no swimming before 7am"  with a crocodile snapping under it.  There was a tyre tube hanging on the post so we took turns in having a quick paddle in it.  I'm not sure why we thought this was going to save us from a crocodile but it was the only way I was getting in and admit it Ryan...you were scared too! ha
I didn't spend much time at Edith as I was excited to get to Darwin to see a long lost friend from my hometown of Theodore and my darling friend from Primary School had decided she too needed a break from normalcy so flew up from Melbourne. I had spent two weeks alone to clear my head and enjoy my own company but I was also feeling ready to have the company of my best friend who was not only easy going but also bloody hilarious!  We had a way of making an ordinary situation fun and funny.  I felt everyday was just getting better and I was meeting beautiful people and I looked forward to Kristy experiencing the same joy that she deserved in her life at that time. 
So although it was sad leaving the trio of treats again I arranged to meet them on our way out of Darwin but before heading across to Western Australia.




Looked croc infested to me at 6.30am...I would have felt alot safer if it was atleast 7am

  

Following my new mates to Edith Falls

Dancing UFO's

I was hesitant to lower the roof on Applejack in the morning at Daly Waters.  I wasn't ready to move on but I had a get to Darwin by Friday so I shook the feeling and focused on the good points.  Turned out my new friends were heading in the same direction so I warmed Applejack up and organised my music for the drive to Mataranka Thermal Pools, 100km south of Katherine.  Along the way I stopped at Larrimah to see the pink panther for a large statue photo opportunity.  I am kicking myself for not venturing into the zoo as I heard by the guys that it was the funniest zoo they have seen.  The place looked shut when I stopped by but that will teach me for not going to greater lengths. 
The drive to Mataranka was hot, humid and the scrub looked really dry.  I parked Applejack and nearly jogged to the Thermal Pools I was that keen for a swim.  I had no idea what they were going to look like and I felt like I was in a rainforest in North Queensland not the Northern Territory.  Boardwalks wound between massive green trees with bats hanging from the branches.  It was bizarre and beautiful.  I didn't question it too much I just ripped off my clothes and floated on my back gazing up at the little piece of paradise in the bush.  Mish and the boys weren't far behind so I floated a little longer.  I asked Ryan how Applejack was out the front and his response made me both laugh and realise I wasn't the only one that would be talking to Applejack on this trip.  He said "Oh Alyce he's pretty annoyed at you for leaving him out there in the heat."  I chuckled and said well I left him a carton of beer, I thought he'd be happy enough with that?"  He was part of the group and how could he not, kombi's have so much character!
We couldn't lay around here all day so I quickly had my usual lunch of tomatoes on saladas and followed the others to Katherine. 
I had a completely different vision of Katherine so when I arrived I had to blink a few times.  I can't go into detail tonight but we only spent a brief moment there before going straight up to Edith Falls to spend the night spotting UFO's.  You read right!  The week before we arrived there were UFO sightings reported so we got in on the action to.  Did we see any?  Well you'll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out....

Didgeridoo, Dog Blues and Daly Waters

I saluted the truckies on the wall of fame at the Three Ways Hotel then jumped in behind my own big steering wheel for another day of cruising.  It was just me and my big yellow kombi driving along the open road and I was HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!  My finger pointed to Daly Waters Pub on the map and although it was only early morning I could taste the ice cold beer that was waiting for me.  I had heard good things about this little remote pub and when I arrived, I actually didn't know where to begin in this museum like stop.  I booked my camping site and popped the top.
I did what I did best.  Beer, swim and introduce myself to the locals.  I fell in love with Daly Waters straight away and even got offered a job.  I felt a small tinge of sadness that I wasn't able to say yes I'd love to stay!  Unfortunately, I only had three months before I had to go back to work in the Whitsundays and a big drive ahead of me.  Not letting it get me down I got a photo behind the bar for a laugh and what happened next was one of my most favourite meets of the trip. 
This is where I want to introduce into my Dance of Happiness, Mish, Gregg and Ryan.  I kept saying before I left that it would be nice to meet other travellers along the way to drive with and after meeting these folk I knew they were keepers.  They were down to earth Australians that made me laugh.  We agreed on a time to catch up for tea which then turned into a jam session with a guitar, didgeridoo and Gregg singin' the blues.  I laugh everytime I think of Gregg and Ryan singing.  Guys if you are reading this, I high five you.  You are champions, don't change!
So readers this is why I am glad I let my instinct guide me past the Barkley Homestead the day before, otherwise I would have missed out on meeting this trio of treats. 

Dancin to the border!

KNOWING the Northern Territory border was ahead of us when we left Mount Isa made my body skip a beat with joy.  I guess I felt it was a little accomplishment making it through Queensland, hassle free.  I remember this day being extremely hot yet driving up to this border sign was a man jogging.  I lined up Applejack with the sign for a photo and when I got out to say hi, I couldn't believe he wasn't even puffing.  He offered to take my pic and then just turned around and kept jogging.  I was only driving and I felt I looked like the camel on the Barkly Homestead door.   If you ever travel this stretch of road to the Three Ways in the NT, you have to stop at the Homestead.  Coldest, most delicious beer I have ever had!  I actually felt bad leaving Applejack outside here.  So after a few cold ones I sprawled out under a shady tree near him, waiting for his ass (engine) to cool down before trekking on to the Three Ways for the night.  At the time I kept thinking in my mind I should have stayed at the Homestead because it was so lovely but I was getting pulled to keep driving and lucky I did.  Sorry, I can't tell you why tonight, you will just have to keep following my blog to find out why!

Hello Isa and Friends

THE only thing I really had to think about on this adventure was where I should fuel up.  I may be known to be hopeless at fuelling up but lets all be honest here, it is a real pain in the behind.  Yes before I got applejack I ran out of fuel twice, but trust me I was actually on top of the fuelling up on this Australian trip and even carried spare fuel which for me is super organised.  Actually, deciding what cd to play was the most challenging thing I had to think about for the day and these songs were taking me to Mount Isa.  I said at the time I wasn't a fan of the Isa but looking back, this is where I met more great friends and speaking of fans, an industrial fan wouldn't have gone a stray when I drove into town with the temperature at 45 degrees.  I peeled myself off the seat in time to take a free underground mine tour which I'd like to give a big thanks to Dianna at Outback Queensland Tourism for organising.  Here I met a sweet old man that bought me a photo souvenir and pointed me in the best direction for a caravan park.  Applejack was in need for a rest due to the heat so I grabbed a cold one and went straight to the pool.  I quickly made friends with a beautiful country family whose generosity I will never forget.  Along with the fathers words "If it was my daughter travelling I'd want to know she was getting looked after".  Well they did just that.  A roast dinner, beer and introduction to the RACQ man who changed Apple's battery.  We exchanged numbers incase we were in the same area again and they waved me goodbye.  There was no way I could feel lonely when I kept meeting people like this.  I felt like I was going to bed everynight smiling and waking up the same.  I couldn't ask for more.  I was just so damn excited to see what the road had install for me each day!   



These young girls were amazing.  They had beautiful characters and were making the most out of their trip around Australia as a family.



Week One - Queensland to Northern Territory

THIS time last year I was just stepping out of a cold swimming pool at the Three Way Hotel in the Northern Territory.  It was night four of my adventure around Australia and I was loving life!  Applejack and I had only been together for just over two weeks but he had become my security blanket. 
Over the next three months on my blog I will take you on my journey of self discovery around Australia.

I was finally fulfilling a dream of:
1. Owning a kombi
2. Travelling around my gorgeous country in a kombi
3. Escaping society
4. Meeting like-minded people
5. Letting the wind blow all my unnecessary worries out the window
6. Picking up my best friend along the way to provide even more laughs
7. Introducing myself to Pearl Farmer Jamie..ha
8. Attending a wedding of one of the cutest couples I know
9. Making it across the Nullabor
10. Most of all completing a goal

I really didn't have many plans when I left the Whitsundays on October 1, 2010.  I know some friends and family were worried about me travelling Australia alone in such an old vehicle but after many friends saying "yeah I'd love to come" I had a feeling it would just be Apple and myself and to be honest it's exactly what I wanted and needed.
After a few drinks with friends in Townsville on the first night I thought I had managed to send the concerns away when a friend made a last minute, random and most probably drunk decision to join the drive to Darwin but unfortunately his work had other ideas.  So after a quick shop for food I was on the road by mid morning and still solo....
An hour out at Charters Towers I was already lifting the lid to the engine.  (Don't think I ever told dad about this hiccup) ha  The little mechanic in me kicked in and I connected the spare battery to wake Apple up and put him back on the road.   I had a laugh to myself and shook my head but I wasn't at all worried.  I felt free and I remember beeping the horn every time I passed a sign.  I will never forget the feeling of joy and relief that took over my body that day.
 When I arrived in Richmond mid afternoon I was really excited, after all I had made my first destination!
I made a quick fuel top up, booked into the caravan park which overlooked the lake, grabbed a  XXXX Summer and introduced myself to a family enjoying a ski.  Oh yeah this was the life.


A few yarns later, barbecue and another beer and I was calling it a night, ready for day two of my Dance of Happiness around Australia.



First time in a long time I was more then happy to wake up at 4am...what a sunrise :)