Discover the NT: Uluru and Kata Tjuta

Uluru up close and personal

If there's one place in the Northern Territory, in fact in Australia, that you have to go it's Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Also known as Ayers Rock and the Olgas, Uluru is an iconic Australia landmark and the fact it's not man made make's it even more incredible. 

Home, Home

Credit

Ever since we booked our tickets home people have said 'you must be so excited to get home', 'oh wow are you excited', 'it's been so long you must be excited'. And yes of course I'm excited. I'm excited to see my family, my friends, mainly by dog though. I'm excited to have a real winter where I can wear big jumpers and boots and feel cosy by a fire in a pub instead of sweating like a turkey on Christmas Eve. I'm excited to see my favourite places that I haven't seen in so long and I'm excited to see all the things that have happened and changed since I left.

But also I'm scared and I'm anxious and it's a bit bittersweet. 

I've lived in Australia for two years now, and yes I have lived here. We've had our own life, finding work, making friends and doing real adult things like paying bills and filing tax returns and buying our own weekly shop. I've lived in Australia for two years and it's a little like home. 

I've made attachments to people and places. We've seen more of this country than we have our own. It's hard to do all these things and have all these experiences and make all these attachments and not form roots and feel like you're leaving a place like home at the end of it all.

I've missed home and I've missed friends, family and places. And when it comes down to it I'm about to do the same again. I'll miss the family I met again, I'll miss the friends we've made and I'll miss the places we've seen and experienced. I'll even miss the dogs. Ok I'll miss the dogs heaps.

But seriously, travelling is like that. You form roots all over the world and leave parts of you all over the world so where is home?

Of course, home is home. Home, home. Everyone has home, home. For the past two years home has been Australia and home, home is home. The little house in the south coast of England with my family and my dog and all my stuff and the little town with all my friends and memories. So will that always be home, home? Probably. 

But home? Home is wherever you make it. Home is where you can make attachments and roots and feel loved and love. 

The thing is I've always known I'm going home, home to see everyone and be there again, so I've missed it in a 'I miss home but it's okay I'm going home' way. And of course some days you miss it more than others. 

But it's different with Australia. I'm leaving here never knowing when I'll be back, though I know I will be back. And that's the hard part. 

I'm leaving home and I don't know when I'll be back.

Until next time,

5 places you NEED on your NT to do list

The northern territory is a vast state. Thousands of people travel from across Australia and from across the world to visit the northern territory every year. It's full of culture, national parks and red dirt. The territory is a must see for anyone on a long term trip to Australia. 

With all these things to see and do it can be a bit overwhelming trying to decide what, out of it all, you want to do. So here's 5 things you can start with, and I promise you, you won't want to stop here.

Darwin

You cannot miss the capital city of the Northern Territory. It's a lovely city with a relaxed, laid back vibe that fits to most people's idea of Australian life. Darwin is a great spot to take a fishing charter, enjoy a cold drink in the harbour or watch the sun go down over the sea. There's also heaps of wildlife and crocodile parks you can visit to get up close and personal with some of the Territory's and Australia's most dangerous residents. 

Litchfield NP

Litchfield is a beautiful national park covering 1500 square kilometers just south of Darwin. It's full of stunning waterfalls, natural wonders and cultural highlights and it really is a must visit. There's so much to see in the park that you really need about three days if not more to see it all properly. However, if you're rushed for time Buley rock holes and Tjaynera Falls (Sandy Creek) are both beautiful spots but you will need a 4WD vehicle to get to Tjaynera. 

Kakadu NP

Another one of the NT's beautiful national parks and probably it's most famous. It's a tricky one though. In the wet season it's often too wet to visit by foot but in the dry most of the waterfalls don't run so it's all about getting your timing right. Though you don't need to worry too much. There's heaps of helicopter tour operators you can fly with to see everything in full flung wet season mode and in the dry there's still plenty of rock holes and Aboriginal rock art to see. We visited in the dry season and for us Ubirr was the most incredible part of the park. It's an Aboriginal rock art site which is fascinating but it's also a beautiful spot to watch the sunset from,

Alice Springs

Alice Springs is one of the largest towns in the NT and arguably the capital of the red centre. Aboriginal people have lived in the area thousands of years so again it's full of fantastic Aboriginal culture. There's also heaps of natural landscapes to have a look at such as the Macdonnel Ranges and Simpsons gap. However, for a bit of history about the town you should visit the old telegraph station. It's really cheap to get in and is a great spot by the river to discover some of Alice Springs past and also enjoy a picnic. 

Uluru and Kata Tjuta NP

As if I could write a post about the NT and not talk about this absolutely phenomenal place. It really is a must visit. If you're going to go to one place in the NT make it this place. It's so much more than an awesome looking rock. It will completely take your breath away. It costs $25 pp to get into the national park but it's worth it. Also make sure you take a ranger tour I promise you will get so much from it. 

Well, there's five places you really should visit when you're in the NT, but really there's so many more. I've got lots more blog posts about the NT planned so keep your eyes peeled for those in the coming weeks/months. 

If you think there's somewhere in the NT that's a must visit make sure you comment below or tweet me. 

Until next time,

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

Diving the Great Barrier Reef

Diving in the Great Barrier Reef is something you can't miss if you come to Australia. It's an iconic Australian experience that you simply won't get anywhere else. In short it would be a crime not to have a look. 

The reef stretches from Torres Strait to Fraser Island so you can dive and snorkel in a lot of places and get a good look at the reef. Jack and I decided we'd take the plunge in Cairns whilst we were on our trip up there. We cruised with 'Ocean Spirit' to Michelmas Cay from Cairns. You can cruise from Port Douglas and there are heaps of tour operators to choose from that go to various different parts of the reef and different islands. 

Green Island is the most popular but it's also quite busy so Jack and I decided to try a different area. We visited one of the tour information centers in Cairns CBD to get an idea of the various different options, and I'm glad we did. They told us the best day of the week to go for visibility and also for how choppy the sea was going to be. As someone who is not the biggest fan, by not the biggest fan I mean hate, of boats it was good to hear from someone in the know what would be best for me. 

The person we spoke to suggested going with Ocean Spirit as they have a really good reputation and also the boat is a catamaran meaning it's less bumpy. And he was right. The crew and staff were all lovely and really happy to help from checking in right until we left the boat in the afternoon. The sea was relatively rough so it was still a little bumpy but nothing like it would have been in a single hull boat. He also told us that Michelmas Cay was a really great island to go to. It's quieter than other islands as only two boats go there and also it's how Green Island started. So eventually Michelmas will look like Green Island so it's pretty cool to see. 

On board we were given tea and coffee and muffins in the morning, a light buffet lunch, and cheese & biscuits and champagne on the return voyage. Included in the price is a trip in the semi sub so you can get a view of the reef even if you don't want to swim, return boat trips (as many as you like) to the island and snorkeling equipment and wet suits if you'd like one. Scuba diving is an additional cost but one worth the price.

Our instructor, Marcos, was really great. I think he could tell I was little nervous and made the effort to relax me and make me feel OK about it all. He explained everything in depth so there was no confusion and was reassuring if you weren't 100% about something. If you're feeling nervous about diving don't be. The instructor won't let you dive if they don't think you're capable and you don't even have to let go of their arm if you don't want to. You're guided through the whole thing and it becomes like an under water guided tour without the commentary. 

The key tip is to relax. Don't focus on your breathing, or your ears or anything apart from taking everything around you in because it's a once in a life time thing. It's incredible down there and we're lucky to be able to experience it in this way so enjoy it. At the end of your dive you swim under the boat and there's heaps of fish swimming past you and it's just the most amazing thing. If you've got your diving license you can dive unassisted but if not there's no need to worry, even if it's your first ever dive. 

If you don't want to dive, you can still snorkel and that's also an incredible experience. You can still get close to the reef and see all sorts of underwater creatures. 

For us it was one of the most incredible experiences of our trip and I can't wait to dive again somewhere else and carry on exploring the underwater world. 

Until next time,

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

The Travel Diaries

It's been a while since I updated you on our travels, in fact 19 days since I did a travel diaries esque post. Last time I wrote we were in Coober Pedy and heading south towards Adelaide. Well we got there and we have officially driven the across Australia in both directions. Which is a pretty cool thing to have done I think.

Adelaide was lovely. Actually, wait. South Australia was lovely. It was hilly and green and a beautiful part of Australia that we hadn't really had the chance to take a decent look at previously. We stopped in Coober Pedy, obviously, Port Augusta and Adelaide. All of which were lovely but quite different from one another. 

Adelaide was a really nice city, very quiet and mellow compared to a city like Brisbane. It feels a lot older as well, almost like a city back in the UK. It's got a lot of old looking buildings and with it being surrounded by hills it was kind of like being in the UK - apart from the unprecedented 38 degree day that we had there. 

The beaches were stunning as well and if you're down there anytime soon I'd highly recommend checking out Henley Beach and grabbing fish and chips from the kiosk. The city is like most other with shops and bars and cafes. We always like to visit the state museums though and we have done in every other capital we've been to so Adelaide was no different. The Museum of South Australia is just a short walk from the city centre and it's worth checking out. It's free to enter and the exhibits are really cool. They also have a nice cafe in the museum which is open 7 days a week.

Adelaide was our last pit stop on our big trip though and then it was back to it. We stopped in at our friends in Goondiwindi on the way back to good ol' Augathella and it was really nice to see them and also see a bit of Australian harvest time. It was all very exciting and felt a little like Christmas was coming - Jack noted. 

But now we're back. And still loving it. It's going to be hard to say goodbye soon and we'll definitely miss this lifestyle and all the things we get to put our hands too here. I'm sure we'll be back soon though.

Until next time, 

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

Pinch, punch, first of the month

It's October. It's October and I'm coping brilliantly with the fact that we're two months from the end of the year can you tell? No, but seriously another month has passed and it's been a good one.

I've spent every single day of September exploring the Northern Territory and having adventures. It has been an amazing month and there's so much to tell but I'll save all the details for another day when I'm not blogging from my phone and I have decent internet.

Since my last travel diaries we've got our vehicle back and working - touch wood, which is a relief. After a little longer than expected in Darwin we continued how we'd planned. 

We've spent the last week or so in the red centre. It's an incredible part of Australia where you'll as Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and of course Uluru. 

Uluru was like a dream. It was the most beautiful, spiritual place I can recall being. In a weird way it really touched and moved me being there. It's so culturally significant in so many ways and it's definitely something you have to see for yourself to really understand. Even multi award winning photographers can't capture what you feel and experience there.

However as I said there will be more detailed posts about all our adventures in the future so look out for those. 

Currently we're cooking pasta and sausages on a campsite in Coober Pedy, Souh Australia. We've got a couple of adventures planned before we head back to the farm so make sure you follow me on Instagram to keep up and also on Twitter and like on facebook. (All social media links are over in the little lemons on the side bar, I can't put them in here because the blogger app doesn't let you - sorry)

Also no sugar September is over! How did you do? I actually managed to do it and I've definitely realised I don't need as much sugar as I though and there's added sugar in a surprising amount of things. I celebrated with jelly beans today but I'll definitely be more conscious about how much sugar I'm taking in from now on. 

Well until next time,

Em x

Tips for a long journey

During our travels around Australia, Jack and I have done many a long car journey. 4200kms from Yamba to Perth across the Nullarbor, 1300 kms from Augathella to Cairns and now 2680 kms from Augathella to Darwin to drive around the Northern Territory. That's a lot of kilometres and it often means several days of nothing but driving and stopping for water and a pee.

When we drove across to Perth we spent five days in the van stopping once, maybe twice during the day before pulling up. We were on a tight timescale and it's not something I'd reccomend doing but that drive, along with many others, has taught me a few lessons about taking long car journeys that I thought I'd share with you in case any of you are about to do the same. 

Water

Carry more thank you think you'll drink, and drink more than you think you need. It may sound odd but often you won't realise you're dehydrated until it's too late so make the effort to make sure you're drinking regularly. Aim to get through 3 litres a day per person, particularly when you're driving around in the heat of the day. Also carry lots because servos can be few and far between and you don't want to run out, if you don't need it your vehicle might. You can pick up big water containers from most camping stores out here and big names like BCF and Bunnings. 

Keeping Clean

When you're on the road you might not find somewhere with showers every night. And yes that is gross but it's part of the travelling experience. You can always boil some water for a wash in the evening which I highly reccomend. But for a quick on the go freshen up baby wipes, dry shampoo and hand sanitiser will be your new best friend. 

Sleepy eyes

Tiredness on the road isn't uncommon but it is dangerous. There's rest stops on the side of the road all over Australia - use them! Often you won't realise you're tired until you're fighting to keep your eyes open so pull up every couple of hours for a quick rest. Also stretch your legs and have a good drink. If you really feel too tired to carry on then stop for the day. It's really not worth the risk for an extra few k's.

The dark

Often it's tempting to carry on driving in the dark when you're really close to somewhere. We've learned the lesson now though, that it's far better to pull up a few hours before dark have dinner, get a good nights sleep and carry on at dawn. Kangaroos are at their peak activity just before dark and just before first light and you really don't want to hit one. They're bigger than they look and can write vehicles off. Also in some places stock will be on the road and they WILL write your car off. Just call it a day before dark.

Fuel

Fuel is important and there's a few tips here. Fuel stations are often quite far apart, especially when you're doing a drive such as the Nullarbor or up to Darwin. It's important to know how far it is between fuel stations and also how many kilometers you can get out of a tank. Breaking down is the worst - trust me. Carry a couple of Jerry cans as well just in case you come into a stick situation. Also a lot of smaller fuel stations, again such as ones across the Nullarbor, aren't 24 hour so take that into account as well, because if you end up not being able to fuel up because a station is shut you'll have to wait there until the morning. 

There's a few tips for anyone who's thinking of doing a crazy long drive. They are good fun and you see a lot on the way so it's worth it. Number one tip though is just to prepare for every possible eventuality and use your head - if you're not sure don't go for it. 

Until next time,

Em x

The top end | The Travel Diaries

So I'm sat in a hotel room in Darwin writing this travel diaries. Yep, a hotel room. It feels very sophisticated and important although my paint stained Yamba fishing t-shirt says otherwise. Anyway this isn't a fashion blog so I'll get on with the travel diaries. 

Jack and I have been travelling around the territory for nearly three weeks and we've been loving it. It's incredible up here and really is like another world with all it's culture and amazing natural landscapes. It really is a must do for any Australian travelling trip and I'm so glad we had the chance to do it and that we took that chance. 

We started off in Darwin and I've fallen in love with Darwin as a city. It's beautiful relaxed and full of interesting and cool places. There's heaps of history here to take in as well as great restaurants, shops and places to relax. I feel like I'm writing a tourist information guide and I'm trying to sell Darwin to you but it really is awesome here. 

Of course we couldn't come all the way up here and not check out the array of national parks on offer. We headed to Litchfield first and it's beautiful. There's so many natural spectacles to take in from waterfalls to mind blowing rock formations, and plenty of places to swim croc free which is just what you need at the end of a top end day. Kakadu is also incredible however because we're here at the end of the dry season there not many of the waterfalls are flowing but the plunge pools are still beautiful and there's so much Aboriginal culture in Kakadu that it doesn't matter. 

We've still got Nitmiluk national park to see when we leave Darwin and also Alice Springs and Uluru so there's still lots on the to do list but for now we're enjoying Darwin again for a little. 

Of course no travel diaries is without it's drama so here's how we ended up in a fancy hotel room rather than a campsite. Heading to Darwin last night from Kakadu we had a spot of bother with 'the Effy' also known as the F250 we're driving around, kindly lent to us by our employers. We had a break down. Dirty fuel put an end to our drive, three attempts to clean the fuel filter and bleed the engine and lots of swearing later we crumpled and got a tow truck to come and fetch us. Luckily we have the nicest employers and we found the nicest towing company in the territory (NT towing if you're wondering) so we were on to a winner and we'll have Effy back tomorrow morning. 

Just another tale for the diaries I suppose.

Until next time,

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

All photos are from my Instagram account, make sure to follow me there for more frequent updates of our adventures!

Take the road less traveled | Queensland

When travelling around somewhere there's always the places you want to go, see, experience. You're in Thailand you want to see the elephant sanctuary, you're in New York you want to get to the top of the Empire State, you're  in Australia you want to see Sydney Opera House. Of course there's nothing wrong with wanting to see these things you've just got to do them.

But there's always more. The touristy parts are only the shell of a place. To really discover somewhere you've got to dig deeper, go further and take the road less traveled.

Most of the time I've been in Australia I've been in Queensland and it's a beautiful state. It's got oceans, rainforests and of course the outback. Is there anything else you could want? 

But aside from Byron Bay, Cairns and Brisbane there's heaps of gems to discover and here are just a few. 

Toowoomba

Pizza & Pie in Toowomaba - a must

 After shopping, bars and restaurants but with a quieter feel that the city? Toowoomba, also known as the garden city, is the place for you. A few k's, well 125km but in Australian terms not much, west of Brisbane and set in among a beautiful range it's a great spot. Head to the top of the range for some awesome photos and great picnic spots. A definite must is the Sunday market for some great food, gifts and everything else a good market should have. Also check out the cathedral and one of the 150 parks in the city. 

Longreach

Longreach Stockman's Hall of Fame

Longreach is a real outback town and in all honesty there doesn't seem that much there to see. However it's home to the Stockman's Hall of Fame. The museum is a must for anyone who wants to know some more about the Australian outback and the origins of farming the land. I'll have a whole post about the museum soon as I visited recently so look out for that. You'll also find the QANTAS founders museum is Longreach as it was one of the founding centres for the airline. 

Mooloolaba

Mooloolaba by evening light

If you're looking for a quiet but beautiful beach spot this is the one. Think Noosa heads but quieter and less tourist packed. You'll find restaurants, cafes and bars and a beautiful beach which is hard to find a rival for. Located in the heart of the Sunshine Coast you can't really miss it if you're exploring the Queensland coast. 

Is there anywhere off the beaten track you think I should visit? Let me know in the comments or send me a tweet. 

Until next time,

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

Pre-NT check list

As you're reading this Jack and I will be travelling around the Northern Territory. The NT home to some of the most beautiful natural landscapes with dozens of national parks and not to mention the iconic Uluru (Ayers Rock). Full of diverse landscapes, ancient culture and colourful characters it's a must visit on your Australian trip.

However, the NT is also extremely arid and towns are few and far between in some parts so it's best to be prepared. It's important you have a few things in tow before even considering taking on the Northern Territory. Jack and I got lot's of advice from people who have travelled up to the territory before and we travelled very well prepared. However, if you aren't aware of the what the conditions can be like in the top end it's easy to come un-stuck so I thought I'd share with you a few must have's in case any of you are thinking of taking the trip. 

Water WATER WATER

Water is your best friend throughout Australia but in the NT it's important to always carry as much as you can with you. If you've got your own vehicle grab a couple of water containers from a hardware store and keep them topped up. If you're travelling as part of an organised tour pick up a couple of bottles everytime you stop at a servo. It might sound insane and like you'r carrying unnecessary weight but if you break down or get stuck somewhere it won't take long to get dangerously dehydrated in the NT. 

Extra fuel

Obviously this isn't an essential if you're travelling in a coach or another form of tour transport, however if you're in your own vehicle or hired vehicle carry extra fuel. You can pick up jerry cans from most servo's and hardware stores so grab a few and again keep them topped up. Fuel stations can be few and far between sometimes and you don't want to get stuck iwth an empty tank in the middle of nowhere.

Vehicle checks

Again this is one if you're travelling in your own vehicle but it is an essential before you go. Make sure you oil and water and full and checked and maybe even be prepared to take extra with you. Check your tyre pressures and also that your tyres are in good condiiton and consider the type of driving and roads you might be doing some driving on. Also make sure you've got a good spare tyre. If you don't feel confident doing these things find a mechanic who will because it is important. Vehicle problems can take a long time, up to ten days, to get sorted so if you leave knowing your vehicle is in good order you'll lower the risk of problems you might have. 

Sunscreen and bug spray

Again this is an essential across Australia but the heat is intense in the territory and so are the bugs sometimes so take plenty and be prepared to apply and re-apply and re-apply again. Citronella candles and mosquito nets are also something to consider taking. 

These are the four things I think are highly essential for a trip around the NT. If you have any others definitely let me know in the comments or tweet me and also enjoy your trip to the NT because it's an incredible part of the land down under. 

Until next time, 

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

The tropical north | Picture Diary

Traditional boomerangs at Cairns night market

Windsurfing at Trinity Beach

Stream in the Daintree rainforest 

Returning to Cairns harbour after our day on the reef

Beach at Port Douglas

Undara lava tubes

Michelmas Cay from Ocean Spirit

It's been just over a month since Jack and I took our trip to Cairns and the surrounding areas. Finally I've got to sorting through all the photos I took and have devised a few blog posts. There will be several in this 'Tropical North' series so if you're thinking of taking the journey or just want to see more of what's about up there, keep your eyes peeled over the coming weeks. 

Today's post is simply a bit of a picture diary of our time in Cairns and the other places visited whist we were there. Hopefully it will give you a bit of a feel for what's coming up in this mini series and also I get to show of some of my favourite photos from the trip.

Until next time,

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads

A lot has happened #TravelDiaries

It's been a while since I've written a travel diaries post but I think when you read how much we've been doing you'll realise why. We've been incredibly hectic over the past weeks and it doesn't show much sign of slowing down but that's not really a problem for us. We love being busy and getting stuck in and it makes our Sunday's off a whole lot more enjoyable.

We've been doing a lot of mustering over the past weeks. If you're unsure what mustering is it's essentially herding cattle in the cattle yards so we can draft them, often into bulls, cows and weeners (calves that are ready to be weened from their mums) and then letting them back out into paddocks accordingly. 

With mustering comes weening which takes 5-7 days depending on the weeners. It's a lot of time spent in the yards educating them to walk around the yards in the right direction and not get crazy and cranky. It also involves a lot of leading them out of the yards to make sure they walk and not trot or run when they're being mustered in the future. Weening is also the time when any weeners that haven't been ear tagged get all those things done. Once that's done they're let out into a paddock immediately to avoid infection. 

We've also been mustering to send cattle off to feed lots and meat works recently so we've been drafting cattle by weight. It's a little more fiddly and time consuming but when you've got two pens of cattle at the end of the day with the right numbers and weights it's a good feeling. 

This sort of drafting normally involves loading and trucking as well. Loading is normally done as quickly as possible so the trucky can get on the road quickly so the cattle are in the truck for the least time possible and also so the cattle don't get as stressed. However cattle unfortunately don't understand that so it can be a bit of stressful experience. 

All in all though it's really good fun mustering and drafting and trucking and weening. It's also the part that Jack and I enjoy the most as it's nothing like we've done before and probably would never have done otherwise. 

In similar but other news, we got the bulls into the yards this week on their own for sperm testing. And yes that involves exactly what you think it does. I won't go into too much detail as I'm not sure how many of you would enjoy the read but you never know I suppose. Essentially the bull has probe up it's bum and the vet holds a funnel under it's penis to catch the sperm to inspect them to ensure they're behaving as they're meant to. Oh and guess who got to hold the probe, yes yours truly. Quickly onwards. The vet also makes sure the bulls are in general good health.

We've been having a really interesting time recently and we'll be back to it in the coming weeks which is good. 

I hope you've all been having a good few weeks, let me know what you've been up to and what you're thinking of my recent experiences in the comments.

Until next time,

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin | Tumblr | YouTube | Goodreads