Bartons Go Global

Well its been a couple of weeks since we were in the tropics and I thought it only fair to report our recent progress and make a few people green with envy.

We have driven down through Quennsland, staying at AL's uncles again and then heading further south. We stopped for a few days at Port Macquarie at Nev's place before heading off again. Nev was a real star and we thought we were just going to pop up our tent in his field but we got the 5 star treatment and stayed indoors.

We saw further wildlfie including Roos with babies in pouches and even more Koals some in a special hospital just for them, how cute. Although after watching them for a few days they are rather inert and don't really do anything except sleep with a twig up their bum and their eyes tightly closed. It's really exciting if they open one eye, never mind if they chew on a gum leaf for a moment.

The road south countinued and before we knew where we were we had arrived in the capital city Canberra. We were going to give it a miss, being another busy city and all but we had a few days spare and thought it would be rude not to. Anyway we had a really great time looking at the city and its sights. Its amazing to think that a few years ago there was nothing and now a fully functional nations capital is in operation. Does Milton Keynes look like and feel as pleasant?

So we drove around the city and parking right outside the gallery or museum and then taking a quick look around. We went to the war memorial, Questacon, National Art Gallery (just for AL) and even the Parliment Buildings. They have a new modern one now and we even got to catch the end of PM's Question Time although Kevin Rudd had made a quick get away (probably saw us coming on the security CCTV!) It was amazing to walk round and see it action as I have never got round to seeing it in London. But boy do they bicker over nothing, somethings never change. AL was very tempted to make them stand by the wall and miss their playtime for being so silly.

We also spent some time around the old parliment building looking up perhaps lost ancestors as did you know Australia's first PM was none other than Edmund Barton. We didn't find any answers but their Research Centre had free internet access and we manged to book all sorts of things for NZ!

We left via the Barton Highway (of Course!) and then had a very beautiful drive up through the interior heading towards the Blue Mountains. On the way we had an overnight stop at Bathurst home of Ozzie motor racing and complted three laps of the famous Mount Panarama circuit in old Daisy (at a steady speed of 60kPH since its a public road except race days.) R and I manged a quick look around the Motor museum and saw motorbiles that my father used to have in bits in the garage. Is that a real sign that I'm getting older? I tried to get Rowan interested in my sense of history and pride but he was more interested in the XBOX racing game around the circuit that was free, kids these days!

So for our last few days out on the road we spent having alook around the Blue Mountains camping at Blackheath at around 1000m above sea level. The road we took was starnge as we found out that we had been driving along the tops for days already and we approached the summit to look down into the valleys below. Coming from the Lakes this was very strange for me. Ellie thought it was brill as she thought we were going to end up doing lots of walking in the up direction. So we saw the sights and tried to avoid the crowds (tourists hey!) The seculded view points were just beautiful with canyons and forests laid out before you. We did grit our teeth (Well OK just me then) and do the busy parts including a ride on the worlds steepest railway taking us down to the forest floor then a ride back up on the cable car which went without hitch apart from a couple having a tussle at the front of the quee. Something about being first or something (Japan V USA if I was not mistaken!) Not sure of the result as we decide to walk further along the board walk and wait for the next one. Anyway we spent a few happy days in the clear blue skies reminding us of home a little especially the cold nights at 1000m.

Now we are currently back in Sydney sorting out gear and stuff before we head over the seas again to NZ. We have sold the car already and are trying not to spend all the proceeds on shopping. We have a few days around Auckland and possible the Northern tip then we pick up our new home, a camper van for 9 weeks of further exploring and touring. So till then and our next report, bye for now.

The Bartons

Sorry for the time lapse but we have been rather busy driving 1000s of KMs and snorkelling in the Coral seas.

For those who want to, there is some more photos for your eyes at

www.hislaptop.co.uk/bartons

We drove up through Queensland to Airlie Beach via Mon Repos and Hervy Bay to get us up to the Whitsundays and of course the Great Barrier Reef. The weather was hot and sticky and we ended up staying in a cabin rather the tent just so we could escape the heat a bit.

We hung around looking for the end of summer bargins and we opted for two trips for the price of one and managed to get out to the reef and tour a few of the islands on another day. The reef was amazing and it was just like watching through a TV screen but you were really there and you had to keep waving your hand infront to remind yourself that it was you really out there. The kids took to it like kids in water and were out there for ages dressed in rather fetching stingersuits and flippers. AL manged a few times but kept returning to the pontoon for refreshmnets, you looked up and you could not see her anywhere. She claims the edge of the reef was a bit scarry. It was a huge highlight of the trip and the kids loved it. The only thing was we would have loved to go out and see it all again the next day (AL says she had had enough so that was that.) We did not get to go scuba diving as the kids had to be at least 12yrs so that will be another trip I guess.

The tropical islands were also amazing and the highlight was getting out to Whitehaven Beach (no not the Cumbrian one!) Its a long white silica sand cove voted the top beach in OZ and on the top 5 of the world. We spent the afternoon splashing around and soaking up the views.

To top it all off we headed over to one of the islands resorts for 3 days all inclusive stand by rate deals, the kids had a ball at the buffet 3 times a day and in the pool most of the day. Rowan winning a free dring in the belly flop contest was a highlight. There was all sorts of things for the kids to do from collecting coconuts and a marine talk off the end of the pier. The kids had a ball and it made a change from the tent and camp kitchen fair.

On the trip up we took a diversion to Mon Repos Nr Bunderberg and stayed where the turtles hatch out on the sands. We spent a long night out on the beach with the rangers watching the hatchlings climb out of the nest and take their firts steps and watching a mother lay some eggs then the rangers let the kids take part in some turtle conservation and reposition the newly laid eggs to a safer spot above the hightide mark. The kids thought the whole night was amazing. They can tell you all sorts of information about breading turtles, most of which seemed to go over my head!! So that was another highlight of our trip so far.

We are now heading back south trying to dodge the bad weather that is battering certain places along the coast. 10 years of drought and it all ends on our time here, we cant believe it.