« Overland Australia - Update 58 | Main | Overland Australia - Update 60 »
October 4, 2001
Overland Australia - Update 59
October 4, 2001
Day 73
Camped on the Humbert River, Gregory National Park, Northern Territory
from Josh
Well, we fell asleep last night listening to the storms that were surrounding the Park. When I woke up the whole area looked as though it was a completely different place, even the flies weren’t as bad. Well the flies did come out, and because we started the day on the top of a ridge we had some really, really cool downhill stints.
Somehow or another my rear brakes have stopped working so during the course of the day I had some rather challenging downhill runs. At one point, after we had been getting some fatty air (getting air by jumping) off rocks, slight hills etc.., I saw the most deadly spot to do a jump.
So I sped up and launched off this rock gaining about 1.5 metres in the air. When I landed, I bounced and slipped and ploughed into a poor innocent tree that decided to grow beside a really cool spot to jump. The tree was fine, I was fine and the bike was fine. All ended well.
The land around us is just simply spectacular. The group saw the first
Boab tree today (see environment update); the tree is absolutely amazing, a giant trunk and rather small branches. I attempted to catch a fish today, and failed. I also attempted and am currently attempting to kill all the flies that are bugging me at the moment, but failing.
We got word that the first flight that one of our group members has to catch is just over two weeks away, so to get there for him to catch the flight and get organised we must be in Darwin by no later than the eighteenth of this month. That gives us two weeks from today.
The flies are still bad. As a matter of fact, they are so bad that I can hardly type, ‘cause I am swatting at the rotten mongrels, only occasionally getting one. It’s driving me nuts.
We are camped down by a river bed and the creek is simply fabulous to swim in, though as we get further north we have to be rather wary about where we swim -- crocodiles can be a problem.
All in all, the day has been one I will remember because of all the beautiful land we have been travelling through.
Feed your children wheat.
Aboriginal place-names for the day:
YAREEHAPPINNI: The Head of a Native Bear Rolling Down the Hill
QUATQUATTA: Plenty of Fish
WODRABIGGUNNI: No-Good Fellow Addicted to Swearing
BAARROOK: An Island Like a Duck Resting in the Water
PEDDYBANG: An Emu
APURLA: White Mans Camp
Our educational theme for today is "Gregory National Park II."
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES >>
Maths
History
Environmental Studies
Posted on October 4, 2001 3:29 PM