Another week living in the tropics.......

Some newly emerged waterlily leaves...

I am really enjoying this tropical life-never having lived for any length of time where the climate is this warm consistantly. I have been here 6 weeks now, not a drop of rain, clear blue skies,(like Alice), day after day. Days 30', nights dropping to 17-20'. I know it will change soon, but at present it is enjoyable.

Work is going well, I really have the trainer wheels off this week, as I am on my own. Next week I am off to Adelaide for a week's intensive training.

Yesterday I took myself out of town to a wetlands area, that is a wildlife reserve. I was in my element-many butterflies,birds,kangaroos, I even saw my first snake in the wild !!It was on my path- but disappeared very quickly. Also of course the inevitable mossie.....good repellant fixed those-I realise how important it is, as there are many diseases here transmitted by mossies.

These beautiful water liies are nearly finished....memo to myself to come back during wet season.

As far as the eye can see were these lilies,obviously as the waterlevel drops, the lilies disappear.



But it was the fabulous birds here that kept me busy for hours. The large white Egret (L) and the Royal Spoonbill were very busy.




The Royal Spoonbill reminded of the weekend we had in Karitane(Otago) several years ago chasing a group of Spoonbills.

This Forest Kingfisher was busy diving for small fish amongst some mangroves.He is brighter than the common Kingfisher.

This Crimson Finch was very busy catching insects on the waterlily seedpod.

This would have to be one of my favourites- a large white Egret just waiting for something to swim by......

I am really enjoying being satisfied with my bird studies-my new lens has really impressed me- it really is worthwhile having something of good quality.

All is very well here, hope this finds you all the same.....

End of first month in Darwin.....

I am now at the end of my first month here in Darwin. I am still enjoying it. At work the trainer wheels are slowly coming off.....it' s beginning to make sense. I am really enjoying working with well women, they are a joy...
We often eat here at the local sailing club..I had to add a sunset photo-they are amazing to experience.


Today I went out and had a long walk through an area of mangroves.They have built boardwalks so the thrill of arguing with crocs is reduced..!!Mangroves are areas I haven't had a lot of experience in-quite unique with amazing wildlife amongst them.This above is an area just going under the tide, and below an area dry with the little "snorkels" the trees use to "breathe" when the water has gone.I continued walking and found myself near a reserve so sat down to just look.....This little Rainbow Bee Eater came quite close to spy on me. I had with me a new lens(100mm-400mm), (an early birthday present to myself!!!), so was suitably delighted with the results.I love shooting birds, so now I may have some success.He fluffed himself up....

and I soon found out why...this mate(presumably) arrived with much noise


I think it was the news of the day being shared.......

I do enjoy the sharing of news too, thankyou to my dear friends who still email me...I may live a distant away, but there is part of me in ChCh still. Hope the winter is not being too unkind..spring must be coming. Take care all of you

First Week in Darwin.....

I think this last week would have been one of my scariest, busiest and most challenging...!!I have survived...and I am back again this week. I have a large folder-about 15cm thick, of Policies and Procedures I have to know intimately. The joys of a government funded job. I think once my head is around all the newness I will be fine.

My apartment is very comfortable, and I travel about 14km north of the city to work, via a 4-6 lane highway...

I have spent the weekend getting my bearings around the city- being a peninsula, and sea on 3 sides, it is slowly making sense. I drive with map on seat beside me.....and haven't yet got lost.

I caught up with some ChCh friends, Lynda and Percy-it was great to see them.They were visiting family.They had checked my blog and were as surprised as I, to find we were here at the same time.We spent some interesting time at a market on Saturday.

I know there two didn't see me.....

This afternoon I went down to the famous Mendil market- just around the corner from where I am living. Many fascinating characters-this fellow was reciting poetry...for hours on end!!!

This is the market area just before dusk.............

I thought there was too much cloud for the famous sunsets.........

but then it turned to this................

I hear via "stuff.co.nz" that NZ is in the grip of a cold spell, I am sorry you can't enjoy my 30' each day. Do keep warm..and take care......

And so its goodbye to Alice.........

Yes it is goodbye to Alice.I have been here nearly 16 months, and have decided it is time to move on. I have very mixed feelings- it is a fantastic place to live and work, and photographically very beautiful. I finished work last week, and have spent this week catching up with friends for coffee, and meals. I leave on Monday to drive the 1700kms to Darwin.I'm hoping to do it in 2 days. I have decided to do some more study, and obtain my CCPM- Certificate of Clinical Proficiency in Mammography. Yes, at the end of the day I will be squashing boobs!!!! I will be working for Breastscreen N.T. based in Darwin. I feel this slight career change will be beneficial for me as there are many openings around Oz, and in NZ for this specialty. Breastscreen are supplying me with an apartment for 8 weeks, and then I may be able to rent it as they won't need locums- I will be it...They are paying for my training, and paying me what I am earning at present. All I need to give back is some time, so will probably be here for 18mths.Next year I will get to travel throughout the Territory covering Breastscreening, so I will be back to Alice.

I have enjoyed getting out this week at sunrise, and sunset doing things I hadn't done while working.

These beautiful ghost gums still have an amazing attraction- the pure white trunks/branches combined with the feathery leaves are magic.

Late light on a ghost gum.......mmm.....Standing looking at this in the late light ,I realised how lucky I am to be here, to be fit/healthy, to be alive, and to have been taught to appreciate the simple things that make up our lives. Photography surely has opened up my world......

This is part of the range West of Alice- just glows with late afternoon sun.And I was lucky to have to bonus of cloud!!! Quite a rare occurrance!!

Even after sundown there is a stark beauty in this place.

I am sure everyone will appreciate my move north to the tropics has not been taken lightly-but I am always up for a challenge.It will be so different living at 11' of latitude, and so close to the sea. Embarking also into a relationship will mean some changes- we will see........

love to you all, take care, and keep warm.I hear the frosts have arrived-I will not miss them.

OUT NORTH OF ALICE....

I know its been a while since I sent you all some news. I have been reasonably busy- still no excuse.

This was a plane leaving Melbourne into a fog over the city.....just at sundown......

I had a trip back home, which is always exciting. It was great to catch up with my precious family- they are a little more scattered than they have been. I was able to catch up with a dear friend in Timaru- I don't think we stopped talking for 2 days.

As my previous blog said I spent some time in Darwin.

This is across the bay looking towards Darwin city.

We spent a lot of time walking around the harbour/wharf area.The wharf has a great area that includes a selection of seafood .It is superb, and so fresh. One can then sit beside sea and enjoy.

This sign took my eye !!!!!

Coming back from Kakadu, I was driving and by the rear vision mirror, was watching this storm brewing behind us. The sky was navy blue, and the noise was amazing.

We kept ahead of it for a while.I had to stop of course, and took these 2 images. By now the noise was deafening. We decided that staying in front was a good move. So we headed back towards Darwin, only to get caught in the edge of it. I have driven in West Coast rain, but this was something so frightening.The road was awash, I was fortuneately behind a bus so could just follow him.An interesting experience. Later that evening warnings were on TV that there was a severe storm about to hit Darwin. We already knew!!!!!!

I know there a many I didn't get time to contact when I was home. I am sorry, I will be back late Oct/Nov.

Take care all of you, and do keep warm. I hear the frosts are coming......

P.S. Lost Image...of Jim Jim Falls

This is a addendum to today's blog. This would have to be my favourite image of my flight. I lost it while downloading.... The trees around the waterfall are about 30m tall- just to give you some

perspective.

ALICE IS GETTING COOLER.......

I know the title is objective depending on where you have spent summer- the days have dropped to just under 30', and the nights are 17-20.Quite pleasant, and one can enjoy the luxury of snuggling under a duvet.

Last weekend(Easter) I went up to Darwin. I had not been up there before. I was so impressed- I did enjoy the city- great public reserves, parks, and unending beaches to walk along.The weather was oppressive tho-early 30's but the humidity was 95%.Not pleasant. It is nearly the end of the monsoon season, another few weeks and it becomes quite livable.

We spent a day travelling through to the Kakadu Natonal Park. It is somewhere I have wanted to visit since a child. I must have had a book that fascinated me.Some of the areas were inaccessible because of the wet season, which was disappointing. But I need not have been disappointed because I was lucky enough to enjoy an hour's flight over the enormous escarpments.Flying really is the only way to get any idea of the enormity of the Nat Park.

The escarpments rise over 100m from a quite flat surrounding area. There are many escarpments all at different angles to each other. A breathtaking sight.

Crossing the escarpments are many deep valleys obviously with water supplies, and lush growth. Many tribes of Aboriginals have lived in these areas in the past. This one is called Death Adder Valley!!!

Our guide on the flight was so informative- the rock escarpments are cliffs from inland seas many thousands of years gone. The rocks don't contain any fossils, from times before life. Being a keen nature photographer, I would have loved to be able to wander through some of the mini eco systems present in the fissures/valleys-open forest, shady overhangs all sustaining life.The guide told us that because of the huge areas involved and subsequent isolation of areas, scientists are still finding previously unknown flora and fauna. Amazing!!!!

This is from the top of a waterfall called Jim Jim Falls.A huge fall that falls 200m into a 20m deep pool.

Jim Jim Falls

Another large waterfall called Twin Falls.They look quite spectacular when one flies around them .These falls the pass down through a narrow gorge.

Not having any choice of light conditions, I was happy with my images- this beautiful escarpment had the whole array of colours.It is called Lightening Dreaming- a very important sacred Aboriginal site

From a distance they are still so distinct. All I can say is if you aver get into this part of the world- do a flight- it will become one of the highlights of your life.

I will continue the Darwin experience later in the week......take care all of you.......

A YEAR IN ALICE...!!!!!

I have just had a nostalgic trawl through my previous blogs- a year's worth.!!! I know I have changed, grown in experiences, and feel extremely content.I also know my family and friends miss me, and I them, but with communications so easy, and cheap, we will all survive.

Last week I was on 7am starts, so was able to enjoy early morning light. This is the view off of my patio- not bad eh?!!! This is Mount Gillen- not a mountain by NZ standards- but we won't argue. I am still house sitting for another 3 weeks.

I spent last weekend in Surfers with Laura and family.It was too short, but we had a lot of fun.This is Madison my grand daughter, on the roof of their apartment at Burleigh Heads. It is looking south towards Tweed Heads.The day after I arrived we went to Currumbin- a wildlife sanctuary nearby.We had a wonderful day.

Feeding Rainbow Lorrikeets was a highlight. Because of the recent heavy rains in Queensland, the birds natural food- flowering trees etc-is abundant so there weren't so many present to feed.

Madison enjoyed letting the birds drink.

These ones decided to help themselves from a stack of containers.They are so pretty, and noisy!!

We enjoyed the kangaroo enclosure where the animals were very relaxed!!!! Don't you love the totally obliviousness(?) to the world.!

Madison enjoyed her kangaroo encounter.

I quite liked this tale of tails..................

Many different varieties of lizards wander freely throughout the sanctuary. This fellow helped us eat our lunch!!!!

This interesting fellow is a Jabiru, standing about a metre tall.Love the blues in his plumage.

We were enthralled by these fellows- they are quite entertaining if they are awake.....

We all made the most of indoor heated pool, and outdoor cooler pool. I think this epitomises the sheer joy a child can experience. I alternated the heated pool, and a warm spa.....mmmm, sooo nice.

Alice is still warm- today and yesterday were 40', but the nights are cooling. Am able to sleep without the air con on. I am off to Darwin on Thursday, it will be nice to experience life in the tropics,(towards the end of the monsoon season!)

Take care and have a safe Easter break.Those of you going to Naseby- enjoy it is a great place.