Time flies when you are having fun (in the sun)

Well it is saturday May 29th and I have now been in Darwin ONE WEEK! Thanks ;)
I have found the PERFECT place to stay and I am lucky to have it to myself for the next 3 weeks,.... so if anyone is rich and bored and wants to come visit- COME!!!!!
I have also found a job.... working at a restaurant called HANUMAN http://www.hanuman.com.au/ it is an Indian/Thai/Nonya style food place and I don't eat that kind of food normally but so far its a cool place to work. I have done 2 nights of training and go back in again tonight, its lots to learn since I don't know any of the foods or what is in them, but man I can learn anything!
I wasn't sure I wanted to job... but I mean its a JOB and I love/need money.... so why wouldn't I-right? RIGHT!

All good, I love life.... its so hot, prob 32 everyday and the humidity is 85% but suppose to drop down next week... I AM PRAYING it does!
My hair is getting longer and therefore likes to be frizzy n big in the heat.. so I wear it up alot.
I have been out walking or running everyday and then of course jump in my salt water pool to cool down and do some laps and my own lil aqua fit things too. Trying to get back in shape.... ugh!

I can't believe its almost JUNE... where did May go? wow. My May was mostly travels so time just flew by.... now I love being in one place again and being free to eat real food and exercise daily! living in a Van doesn't allow those things!

I am excited to see what adventures come up next, maybe a safari trip or a boat trip somewhere local... I am dying to be on the water, waking up to see boats everyday makes me want to be on one and enjoying the sun and water from there.
Lots to see n do, but lots to save for as well.
From here once I decide to go I will be heading to Queensland, maybe fly into Brisbane (Rich D lives there) and hit up Surfers Paradise (Aliscia's family lives there) and then just go NORTH up the east coast seeing all the beautiful beaches and resorts!

The world is my Oyster....

Australia is great, everyday some fun new things come up and make me laugh, here is some more aussie slang:

Budgie smuggler- speedo
How u going- how you doing
Sweet as- good
Saltana- raisin
Tomato sauce- ketchup
Bin/rubbish - garbage
Fort Night- 2 weeks
There are always heaps more.. but when I go to write them down I forget :P

Check out facebook for most recent pics.

I was proud to hear that my nephew Lucas went pee on the potty the other day... ya he is 19 months old, I love him and miss him heaps!

Next weekend we have a staff party after work on sat... so since it will be JUNE 5th next saturday I shall drink and toast to my Brother Greg, and my friends Ryan D and Mike F all whose birthday it will be- CHEERS

Oh haha... speaking of Mike... I have a dream that I dated and married Mike Fisher... maybe dreams Do come true!!! :) J/K but maybe one day I will marry a hockey player..... you just never know!
A girl can dream...........

Cheers to you all, thanks for reading.... talk soon!
Ciao

Darwin Darwin, I love Darwin!

G'day mates..... sorry it took a bit, but driving north through the outback is not a time to blog often :P

We went to Kings Canyon and walked around the rim of the canyon, was about 6km which took about 2 hours. It was great to be so high up and to scream into the canyon to hear the echos :)

Driving north to Alice Springs we had 2 kangaroos jump across the road right in from of us, thankfully not TOO close.. but man it was crazy to see them come so close... esp while driving so fast!

Arrived in Alice Springs and had to figure out finances because our travel mate Raphaela is leaving us today and we will search for a new travel mate to join us to Darwin.

We split up to use internet and shop and eat etc... met back up on Anzac Hill to watch the sunset!

We snuck into a hostel to take a shower.... such a simple thing but man its good to be clean!

It was cold in the night, but nice the next day. I went to the shops to buy a hoodie- BONDI RESCUE.. love it (its a popular show here about lifeguards at Bondi Beach, NSW)

We drove to the West MacDonells Ranges, walked a lil hike and saw Simpson Gap and the Ghost Gum Tree.  

We had to go back through Alice Springs to head north, and also so 

Mario could book a flight to Bali from Darwin.. anyways.. good thing we went back, cuz the lady who sold me my hoodie forgot to take the security tag out and it would have made a mess!!! It didn't beep when I left the store the first time, but it beeped when I went back in- just thankful its out now!

Heading north to DEVILS MARBLES............. rounded rocks... amazing really!

We stayed here to eat and camp and watch the sunset around the rocks!

There were some guys making a fire near their camp area, so we walked over to join! Kyle and Nick.. from Sydney... very nice guys and we asked if they played Guitar and they did so we got Mario to get his guitar out and Nick had a lil guitar too.... and a SONG BOOK! A Christian song book.... oh man what a treat! 

We sat and sang many songs.... it was like a night at Hermosa (my summer camp) with songs I know, campfire and good chats!!!! Koombya etc and closed with a great version of "friends" by Micheal W Smith!!

Traveling with the same person for many days can be fun.. but not if you really don't know them well and things they do start to annoy you.... almost everything started to annoy me by now.. Mario was so stubborn about everything... which made it less fun, but I had to remember this a trip of a lifetime and to enjoy it for ME! I tried not to let his habits annoy me/gross me out... and I did my own thing and just kept quiet :P

Made it hard that the new girl we found Dany is also German... so Mario and Dany would chat in german to each other.... ugh!

It got very hot and humid as we got more north... I love heat, but not while driving in a van with 2 other people and no A/C. We made it to some place to camp/eat for the night!

I was thankful they had showers there too... but really no point cuz you sweat as soon as you get back outside! I even slept in the front of the van to try to have space and maybe a breeze, but no breeze and the Mossies (mosquitos) were bad!

We headed to the thermal pool at the campsite but I didn't want to go in at 8am.... be all wet then get in the van and get hot n sweaty again!

We stopped in a town called KATHERINE to charge phones, camera batteries, shop and chill for a bit. Continued onto to Edith Falls and went for a great sweaty 2km hike!

The next place we went to was Batchelor (lol spelt different but was funny) sounds like a single girls heaven.. but really wasn't :P

We stopped at Rum Jungle Lake to cook and watch the sunset over the hills/trees, very pretty. The stars are amazing in the middle of nowhere... so bright and clear. The southern cross is a very small constellation... I thought it would be BIG!

The mossies were SO bad... cuz we were near a lake, so I wanted to drive to find somewhere else to sleep... plus the lake was a no camping zone.

We finally found a dead end road and stopped, but a man came out of his house with a flashlight and so we didn't want to stay too close to his house.. we drove up the street toward the main rd.

HOTTEST NIGHT EVER.... oh my word...I thought I would die..... 3 people in a humid van with NO air coming in cuz the mossies were so bad.. it was awful.... I had to get out a few times just to breath. It was like fat camp... sweating to death... I barely slept.

We got up early... not that I was alseep... went into Litchfield National Park, first to the Termite mounds...

 but I saw bigger ones along the hwy then here. Then onto Buley Rockhole and Florence Falls, where I saw HUGE bats in the trees, so cool!

Headed to Tabletop Swamp... really wanted to see a Crocodile, but nothing there. Onto Tolmer Falls, very nice view/lookout.  The last waterfall was called WANGI pronounced wong guy... lol (like the wrong guy) Did a great 1.8km walk around the falls and to swimming pools, but again no point to get wet and then back into humid van.

HUGE spider in the rain forest walk around wangi.. yikes def the BIGGEST spider I have EVER seen... (Trish you would die, it was as big as my head)

Mario stopped at Walker Creek... I didn't even go on the walk, I stayed at the van to eat lunch and journal and pack my things to prepare for Darwin!!!!

He then wanted to take the short cut which was an unsealed (not paved) road.. we got about 30km then we encountered a HUGE puddle.... we could make it but thankfully a 4WD guy came from the other way and said we wouldn't make it through the next "puddle" with our van.

So we headed back through the whole park and it would take us a bit longer to get to darwin but at least we would arrive and not be stuck in the mud somewhere. It rained/poured on and off for the first 50km.

Arrived in DARWIN around 4:30pm!!!!!!!!!! I was So excited... we got gas and had to figure out finances.. then I wanted to go to Maccas (McDonalds) for free wi-fi!!! 

So good to be online and in a city... I love life! Searched for jobs and places to stay.

Headed into town to go hostel to hostel to find the best price for the night.

I wanted to check into GECKO but the office was closed... so I checked into ELKES.. thought dany was coming too... nope her and Mario were sleeping in the van again... (thanks for telling/inviting me) NOT that I wanted too... I would gladly pay for a bed/shower/sheets/space!!!! Well worth it!

FREE FREE I'M FREE AT LAST!!!!!! Sorry but 14 days with one guy you hardly know is NOT the best.... but I survived and I loved the journey, cuz now it is a great story and a great adventure that I went on in Oz.

I put on my dress and put on make up for the first time in over 2 weeks... walked downtown and just enjoyed being in a busy city! I treated myself to ice cream at Baskin Robins :P

Then headed to KITTY O'SHEAs pub.... So good! Met a whole group of people that live just outside of town and so don't get out too much... fun group. We were dancing and singing n they were buying me drinks and shots... I loved it all!

A few of them were drunk and got kicked out... I kept dancing! Met more people in the pub and enjoyed the live music!

The best was that the live band played "shackles" by Mary Mary.... A Christian song played in a PUB by a COVER BAND.... so funny to me... so cool!

When I checked my FB I saw that Lucas got my postcard and he said "Tanks Aunty Chelle" 

HE CAN SAY MY NAME.... oh that made my day/week/month <3

Slept GREAT that night in my bed in the hostel, with space and air and A/C... life is good.

I got up early to go for a walk.... need to lose my "travel" weight :P

Went to Maccas for wi-fi and found an ad for a place to stay in Darwin... I walked downtown to eat lunch and shop, then went to see the place. 

Mick is the owner and he is in the Army... his place is AMAZING!!!

It has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms... so I can have my own room, my own bathroom, my own double bed, my own space with a huge balcony that has a table and beer fridge with a view over the harbor... BRILLIANT!!

So I have to praise God for providing me this place...... the best part is its FREE!

Mick travels sometimes for work... so he is home this week and we hang out and its great and then he leaves monday for 3 weeks.... so I have an amazing place to myself for 3 weeks... it has a POOL and everything!!

I LOVE LIFE!!!!!!!

Job hunting now in Darwin... wish me luck!

I have an interview tomorrow at a fine dining restaurant... we'll see!

Love to all... most pics on facebook... sorry!

Ciao for now!

Sorry so long... had heaps to say/write!

Critters animals and rocks

Very quick update..... drove into the desert and saw wild camels... so cool

We went to Ayers Rock and the Olgas today.. saw more wild camels! Walked about 10+km today.. walked around Ayers rock yesterday and around Olgas today!
Last night it RAINED in the desert.. so rare!

Yesterday driving I had a SPIDER in my shirt and freaked out and jumped out of the van and took my shirts off.. lol... read later it was not a dangerous spider.. but at the time I didn't think I just reacted!

Tomorrow headed to Kings Canyon and then Macdonell ranges then to Alice Springs! Then north to Darwin!

Saw lizards, TONS of flies, birds, and more.... pics to come I promise but internet is not cheap in the middle of nowhere! I HATE FLIES!

I love life... talk soon

Twinkle twinkle.. TONS of stars

Hello and greetings from the underground city of Coober Pedy!
it has been a GREAT adventure.... driving north from Adelaide n now through the Australian outback!
My travel mates Mario and Rapaela are Awesome... so thankful for good company!
We have seen kangaroos, snake,eagle, mice, emu and many road kill of similar plus fox and magpie bird!
Yesterday I peed on the side of the road in the middle of the outback in the middle of the day.. LOL.... i didn't want to pee in the grass area not sure what spiders and bugs and snakes live there so I just peed behind the van on the hwy LOL!

I love life... sleeping in the van is good.. as long as you don't have to get up 3 times to pee in the night :P

Right now we took a tour at Toms working Opal mine... so cool to be underground and see how they mine and we got to ride the winch chair up a mine shaft and more.. pics to come!
So neat in Coober Pedy to see HOLES and dirt piles everywhere....

Crazy local people but fun to see around town!

All is good.. we are driving toward Uluru now, might take 2 days to get there! We drove from Adelaide through Port Agusta and now Coober Pedy.... slept under the VAST amount of stars each night.... so great to see the milky way and the southern cross and shooting stars!

Sparatic updates as we drive through the Australian outback... internet is not key .... seen many lookouts, mountains, valleys, flat lands and more... so amazing!
yesterday we went to a look out that looks like MARS... where mad max 3 was filmed etc.. so cool!
We parked to watch the sunset over the cliffs as we drank wine and enjoyed the colors of the sun setting in the beautiful landscape!

pics will show more... but everything is beautiful, amazing to see... I am blessed!

much love to all.... Sorry Pens lost :(

Maybe update from Uluru at Ayers rock when we get there.... ciao for now!

BYE

Crazy Grizzly bear Canook... yes Canook

Oh man I love life...

My 2 nights in the hostel in melbourne were great, my new friend Jacko called me a "canook" not a canuck... lol too funny.

Now my travel mate Mario calls me Grizzly bear or Canadian Michelle (which I love... cuz that is my fav name)We are currently in Warnambool, Victoria, Aus.... we have been driving along the GREAT OCEAN ROAD for 2 days.. from Melbourne to Apollo Bay the first day, slept on a hilltop in our van, then today drove to see 12 apostles, Arch, Grotto and more.

I am now traveling with 2 great people... Mario is from Germany and Raphaela is from Switzerland! We drive on Mario's van and we sleep there at night on a big mattress in the back, uber cheap travels- I love it. 

Tomorrow we are going to head north to the Grampian Mountains then to Adelaide for the night, stay at a hostel to sleep in seperate beds and get hot showers and then we can walk around the city and explore!

Some fun places I have driven through on Oz are: Nar Nar Goon, Garfield, Robin Hood, Stratford, Sherbrook and sheep wash creek!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to all Mothers..... may you be blessed and honored today and always.. your job is NEVER easy, but I love you all for being MOMS!
Shout outs to MY mom- you are the best and I love you HEAPS! <3
Michelle Cappo, Jill Hickman and Simone Lavallee for your 1st mothers day! Congrats and enjoy!

Melbourne

So we finally got to Melbourne on tues night.... drove a good 7 hours or so and arrived in the rain, but happy to be here!
So wet we didn't set up camp... Jon got a cabin for himself and I slept in the truck,.... was happy to be warm n dry!
Jon is heading north and I am continuing on in my around Aus journey.... was nice to meet him.. ready for the next adventure with someone new!

Jon left yesterday to head north, and I am glad he did.. got annoying by the last day with him.. just got annoyed by him buying a boat and slowing us down and stopping to fix the boat, then stopping to register the boat, then stopping to check on the boat, i just wanted to GET somewhere... one day we ONLY drove 3 hours.... sheesh.. the next day I made him keep going until we hit melbourne, so we drove a good 7 hours or so.... finally!
So i had two choices from melbourne campsite
1)-head north with a new guy named John, drive fast and straight north to darwin, taking a few days to get there
2)-wait til fri/sat and drive with Mario north stopping to see the sites etc..

So i wanted to leave and just go... but decided I am in AUS to SEE aus.. not just drive through it!
So I took a bus into town and I am staying at a hostel for 2 nights til Mario gets to town!
NOMAD is the hostel and its great... in a room with 10 beds, met a nice guy from UK named Ian but we call him Jacko (nickname) anyways... we walked around last night in the city, was nice out..,. then came back and he gave me his pasta he made.. i love free food!
We went to the bar downstairs to play trivia... its was 80/90's questions... round 1 we got 13/15 right...... round 2 was harder we got 8-10/15 right... so we ended up TYING (spelling?) for 1st place... so we have a drink off.... Jacko won so WE WON trivia!!
We got a $50 free bar tab... hooray... funny thing was we were drinking $3/glass wine hahahahaa
we had a few more of those, then a real drink, but decided to buy drinks for others... love meeting people from all over...
Met people from Spain, Ireland, Scotland, USA, Canada and more... love it

Slept well in a Bed indoors... camping is fine but its cold in the south now.. autumn!

Going to walk around the city today and explore.... take pics etc..
They have a "batman" building just like Nashville... makes my heart happy!
Keep your thoughts n prayers for NASHVILLE as they have had major flooding and are trying to restore downtown with all that water damage :(

Happy to be traveling around and seeing the sites.... life is good!
more pics to come.... sorry I have not uploaded any lately!

Much love to my TRIFECTA girls.... living our crazy lives
Shout outs to Greg n Aimee on their 4th Anniversary today!

I am thankful for free wi-fi, great friendly people and no rain today!!

Ok I am off to see the city of Melbourne... or Melbin to the locals ;)

Cheers

Hakuna Matata

We drove south from Sydney and in towards Canberra.... looked around and saw Parliment House which was cool. Then we headed to the east coast to drive down the coast, they say its a better/prettier drive.

We called ahead to a BIG4 camping site to book for the night... and kings hwy is CRAZY hwy... twists and turns and up and down... was like a mountain drive.. but we made it to our site around 7 and they close at 6 :P 

Thankfully wonderful Monica still let us in, we set up our gear and booked for 2 nights to be nice and enjoy the area!

We cooked steak for dinner and enjoyed the tv in the kitchen area :)

Watched a movie on laptop then went to bed. 

Next day was nice n sunny.... steak n eggs for breaky and then i went to hit the beach while Jon went to fish. It got windy so I went to the pool instead and then saw that our tent had blown over... so tried to fix that.

Jon came back with no fish and he said he wanted to buy a boat he saw.... so we went into town to get money and went to buy a 15ft boat (used).

Back to camp where there were WILD Kangaroos on our site.. we fed and pet them, so neat!

Jon wanted to fish so we took the boat to a close boat launch and tried to get it in the water... by now it was already dark!

We tried to get the boat in but the tide was coming in FAST... i was in the boat shining the spotlight for jon to see to reverse.. a huge wave came and knocked the boat OFF the trailer.. sending me sliding from one side of the boat to the other.... now we were stuck... the truck was stuck on the ramp and the boat was off trailer but still tied on!!!

Luckily a man and his son were walking past and came to our rescue... they helped get the boat back on the trailer and we gave up on night fishing... maybe daylight to start next time!

Laughed it off and headed back to camp.. i cooked corn for dinner.

Jon got a call from home, his best mate was in an accident... and he was going to drive back north TONIGHT (sun) but he had been drinking so thankfully he couldn't.

He slept it off and decided in the morning NOT to go north unless it was life or death.... thankfully for me, so I am not stuck!

We headed into town and to get the boat tied down for our trip down south toward melbourne.. got already and went to get on the hwy and BANG something snapped!

Jon thought it was his gear box, cuz the truck wouldn't get into gear... thankfully it was the axel and it didnt snap it just popped out. Sooo..... we put the truck into 4-wheel drive and went down the hill to another BIG4 campsite... like 25 mins from the last one.... gotta set up camp here for the night. We sleep here sun night and jon took the truck in mon morning to the shop.... should take a few hours... so HOPEFULLY by 12 or 1 this afternoon we can head south again!!!

No worries..... just as long as we get there safely!

I just pray that Jon doesn't bail on this trip at all.... if he does he will leave me in a MAJOR city so that I have a safe place to crash and can look for another travel mate etc.... Praying he doesn't go, I like our set up.. he has all the gear etc and we get along well!

I am good... hoping no rain today.. thinking of my Nashville peeps in the rains/floods there... be safe and dry!

Hopefully we will be on the road and driving down the east coast again soon today.... as long as we keep moving its good.... but you can't drive too far in one day if you have to check in at a campsite, they close the offices around 6 -7:30.. sheesh!

Well eating some oatmeal now... waiting to hear when the truck is ready and off we go....

Its all an adventure.... I love it!

Ciao for now!

Much love <3