Alot in one blog!!!! Been in the outback you know!!!!

On the road again, having left Cairns. Had a really lovely Christmas in the end. As mentioned before, out on the Great Barrier Reef. We sailed out on the Passions of Paradise boat, to the outer reef. Paradise Reef to be precise. Went Scuba Diving etc as per last blog. My quote for the day came from Luke as we sailed out to the Reef - “Who needs that Snow Shit eh!!” . Went out last night in Cairns for our last group dinner before some of the guys left us. That would have been me but I changed my plans to stay on. And being here today feels so very right for me so I’m glad I made the decision to stay, however long it took me to make it.

Was sad to say goodbye to the 5 guys that left us. Jay, Joe, Emma, Neil and Janet – all of them really made an impact on the group and will be sincerely missed. As a full group we really did click well and get on and were able to live and travel together really well I found. Judge Jay – your a star and thank you for the laughs and the fun along the way. Joe, your one of the nicest most genuine guys I have met in a long time and I wish you well in the Navy. Emma and Neil (grouped together as your a couple) you guys are great. Such fun. Emma – you still look too good in a stinger suit for me to like you and Neil – I’m going to take up having a corona at 8am just to keep your memory alive on the bus!!! That and your stinky farts!!!!! Janet – Accident prone Janet. Take care hun. Hope you enjoy the last few days of your trip and have a lovely New Year back home.

Two new Girls have joined the trip. Els from Belgium and Rita from Canada. Both are settling in well and no doubt will have their own stories to keep us entertained in the coming weeks. So remaining on the bus now are Georg and Katrin, the honeymooners. Christian, Gill and Lynsey, Antoinette, Francis, Rosalba, Els, Rita and Myself. And of course Luke to keep us all in check!!! My duties have changed with the change in group. I’m now in charge of the food kitty and ensuring that we have enough food for breakfast lunch and dinner etc. I didn’t mind doing some of the cooking, but I think I prefer this role to be honest. You know us Taureans, a need to be needed. Or maybe it was my Chicken ala king on Christmas Eve that said I should be a planner and not a cooker!!!! (Joke – I think)

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, indeed I guess for the whole trip including America as well. This career break for me was always about getting some time to clear my head and I guess get to grips with what I’m going to do with my life going forward. I have always been career driven from an early age, and achieved allot early on, so I felt I needed the time now to gather myself before the next phase. Some of that has to do with in some way coming to terms with my mums death a bit more, as I threw myself into my work when it happened and never really stepped back for long enough to allow myself to process it properly. And also to find the real Billy in all of this. Not Billy the General Manager or Billy who works in a Hotel, But me. What do I do? What do I contribute to a group? What can I learn from others around me? I also wanted to meet new people who weren’t in some way connected to Jury’s. That’s not a criticism of Jury’s, more a reflection of me for not pushing myself to make friends outside of some form of work related circle. By going on these trips and having to contribute as you do, it really has enlightened me a bit more about myself I guess. I need to translate that into my life when I return.

Speaking of returning, as I said my plans have all changed. Staying on this trip all the way to Alice Springs. That takes me to the 12th January. I then have around 8 or 9 days free before I need to be in Auckland for a 35 day trip of the North and South Islands, ending up back up in Auckland. From there I will arrange a flight home. Still planning on popping over to see Michelle for a few days or a week and looking to return to work sometime in March or April I guess, dependant on what’s available I guess. I really do appreciate that Jury’s did give me this Career Break and I firmly believe it will have a majorly positive effect on my life and career going forward.

Apologies to all friends who I haven’t spoken to in so long. With the travel and the time differences and the time delay on my phone also, it’s difficult. But just remember that even though I’m off gallivanting around the world, all of you still have a place firmly in my heart as I move from place to place. I should email more and send more face book messages also, but hopefully I have a better system now. I will type my Blog on word on the bus, upload it when I get an internet connection and that should free me some time to send and reply to emails and messages.

From Cairns we headed for a place called Charters Towers, near Townsville. Not so much a long driving day, as we left after lunch, but because it was Boxing Day there wasn’t much to do when we arrived. We stayed in a little pub hotel which was a nice change form hostels and stuff. Decor was dated but it was like the four seasons to me not to be in a bunk bed for a night!!!
From Charters Towers we headed for Mount Isa. This is one of the longest driving days on the trip, nearly 800 km. Long day. We left at 5.30am (by mutual consent it should be said) and stopped a couple of times along the way. We went swimming in an outback pond, had lunch along the way and got to Mount Isa just before 5pm. Mount Isa is the world’s largest city by area according to Luke. I’m a bit sceptical about that, having been there. But Google will tell me whenever I get an internet connection again!!! We stayed at a Caravan Park – every time we stay at one I can’t help but think of home and away!! “Summer Bay Caravan Park – Flaming Golaths!!! “

From Mount Isa, we are heading for Tenant Creek. Another long driving day, leaving at 6.30am. Weather is almost unbearably hot. It was 41 degrees yesterday!! While you’re in the van your fine, but when you stop for lunch or toilet breaks its unbearable!! And the Flies. They are everywhere. I don’t mind them so much until it’s time to eat, then I lose the plot. I may have to invest in an o so attractive head net too keep them away from me!!!

I may be tempting fate by saying this, but the mosquitoes have learnt to stay away from me, I haven’t been bitten in over a week. I do cover myself in repellent every night, so that probably helps, but I had repellent on when I was bitten before, so I don’t trust it no matter what they say!!!

I need to weight myself soon, I feel like I have lost loads of weight!! Clothes are loose on me, my belly is less big than it was before!! I feel lighter, so I want to know how much lighter I am!! To be fair, I have probably sweated half a stone off in the last few days alone!!

Seeing lots of different sights as we head into the outback. I say head into it, we are in it but it does change every 100 miles or so. It’s certainly barren in places. No person to be seen for miles. No houses. No cars on the road for 100’s of miles. Only Road Trains, 3, 4, 5, 6 trailer trucks bombing along the roads. Anything that gets in their way is a definite goner.!!

Today is day 15 of the 30 day trip. We are aiming for Darwin which is at the top in the middle (sort of) after new year we then head straight back down the middle to Alice Springs and Ayres Rock!! Still need to figure out what I’m going to do for my 10 or so free days between the end of this trip and heading to New Zealand. Still need to sort flights home, but the outback isn’t the place to get that sorted!!! Will book them when we get to Darwin.

I’m still typing this on the bus as we drive along, so if it’s a bit rambly or jumps from one topic to another,it’s because my brain is just taking me from place to place.

Just drove past a dead kangaroo !!!

And the world’s biggest grasshoppers (well the biggest I have ever seen) keep getting stuck in the bug guard at the front of the van. They are literally bigger than my fist!!! Horrible things!! The bugs here are hard to cope with, but I am getting used to them.

Pulled a muscle in my back yesterday, so sitting on the bus is a bit painful today!!! Robbed a pillow from one of the hotels a few days ago, so that makes the long days more comfortable somewhat, but today I just can’t move without wincing in pain!!!

We arrived in Tenant Creek. Not much happening there to be honest. Accommodation is a bit poor but we make the best of it. It’s all part of the experience. The town itself is a one street kind of place, nothing too exciting. Dinner tonight will be chicken fajitas – for anyone at all interested in my diet whilst travelling.

Speaking of my diet whilst travelling, have the worst stomach cramps known to man over the last few day. Haven’t had much of an appetite when food is being served. Was physically ill in Tenant Creek. Its probably as a result of the long driving days. I'm sure it will pass soon.
From Tennant Creek we drove north towards Darwin. We headed for a town called Katherine, famous for Katherine Gorge. Its really beautiful, however the flies were unbearable. And it rained. As we head north we are heading into the northern territories rainy season. Most of the time its a nice relief from the heat but today it was just something else to make me question the outback that little bit more!! I seriously don’t know how people live out here. The isolation, the heat, the flies, everything i cant handle. I'm sure as we head back down toward Ayers rock again it will change, so I'm not giving up on it yet. But I'm just not feeling it!!

I held a baby kangaroo yesterday. Charlie. His mother died, so he was being raised by people who ran a pub near where we stopped to see some thermal pools. Oh my god he was so so so so so so so so so so adorable!!! And so Tame. I want one!!!

We also stopped for lunch yesterday at a pub called Daly Waters. Its historic apparently. Has loads of memorabilia on the walls etc. Left my card on the wall near the bar, and we left a group picture on the wall also. OzXposure was ere!!!!

Heading for Linchfield National Park now. Nearly there actually. Apparently we are staying in a house, a proper house, on a caravan park. I have high hopes of it being like Home and Away!!! Will keep you posted on that one!!!

Darwin tomorrow for 3 whole nights, heaven not having to repack every day!!! And we get to get horrendously drunk on new years eve and sleep it off for 2 days!!! Bring it on!!!