http://www.giantchimney.com Where friends come together to let off steam Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:12:50 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Mt Isa is a town in north-west Queensland located on the edge of a very big hole. We come to realise that 'the Isa' is itself a bit of a hole too. We explore the landscape above ground, pedalling up to the town lookout to survey the ordinary houses and shopping ... http://www.giantchimney.com/2008/09/14/isa-and-the-outback/ Up before the birds, we drop the tent and leave Litchfield for the long trip south back down the Stuart Highway. We are heading to Three Ways and the turn east to Queensland. We stop to have a have coffee with 'Fran', who has opened her roadside home to travellers who ... http://www.giantchimney.com/2008/09/04/heading-south-to-mt-isa/ By now we are itching to get out of traffic lights and air conditioning and back into the tent. It's 32 degrees at 9am and we are keen for a swim in the waterfalls and rock pools of Litchfield National Park - an easy 170-kilometre drive from the city. By noon ... http://www.giantchimney.com/2008/09/02/litchfield-national-park/ We farewell the world heritage of Kakadu and head up the Arnhem Highway to the cheesy spectacle of jumping crocs. Feeling a bit guilty at joining this circus we climb onto a boat and chug up the Adelaide River listening to our captain's introduction to its safety features, which include ... http://www.giantchimney.com/2008/09/01/darwin/ We turn right off the Stuart Highway and set out for Kakadu National Park, a place that is heaving with wildlife, important cultural sites and a place where the year is measured in six seasons. We set out to explore it on foot, on the water and from a vehicle. We ... http://www.giantchimney.com/2008/08/25/kakadu/ I pick up The Lion of Flanders from Alice Airport and head to the West McDonnell Ranges. The Lion is a veteran of a walk around Mt Blanc, a summit of Kilimanjaro and has walked 100kms in a day on more than one occasion. I on the other hand have represented ... http://www.giantchimney.com/2008/08/22/west-mcdonnell-ranges/ Bernie sets up camp round 1pm. He's traveling by himself because his wife died 10 years ago, this makes him unique among the gaggles of grey nomad couples currently in the caravan park. Later in the day Bernie and I have time to burn so I armed with a foldy chair ... http://www.giantchimney.com/2008/08/21/the-life-of-bernie/ I return to Alice via Brisbane (and the hospitality of lovely Michelle and Rob) accompanied my brother Tim. I am to swap places with Jan, who boards the plane to return to Melbourne and Helen, and resume my place in the co-pilot seat of the Corolla. And Tim will accompany ... http://www.giantchimney.com/2008/08/19/heading-to-the-warmer-north/ Our adventure is interrupted briefly with me taking a side trip to the chilly high country of New England, New South Wales, and Ben welcoming the arrival in Alice of a guest from Melbourne. I climb onto a plane (tearfully) in Alice, waving goodbye to my fellow adventurer, to travel to ... http://www.giantchimney.com/2008/08/13/adventure-side-trip/ Alice seems to elicit as many positive recommendations as negative anecdotes from those who have been there before us. We move in for 8 whole days of finding out for ourselves. There's a grassy campsite (pro) and a bike path into town (pro). There's a big indigenous population who don't seem ... http://www.giantchimney.com/2008/08/12/alice-springs/