May Update... and April and March

Well, it's time for an update on March, April and May.  The problem with leaving the updating for so long is remembering what happened ages ago.  March - I don't remember anything happening in that month, just work, work, work.  April - Well, April was a bit more eventful.  Even though I didn't make it back to the family, things were happening.  My niece turned three, my brother had his birthday, and of course it was Easter.  For me personally I went to Darwin for a work conference and decided to stay an extra couple of days.  So that was nice.  I just relaxed, hung out with a work collegue who was up there for training, went out for dinner etc.  On the way back I had to drive through a LOT of water.  We have had more rain than usual during the wet season and there has been a lot of flooding.  On the flood plain at Adelaide River the water was approximately 0.4m (it had been higher and the road had been closed) and was the first lot of water I had driven through.  It was quite nerve racking for me, especially when a car came the other way and the wave went over my bonnet and in my window.  By the way, there are crocs in the Adelaide River, so it was a possibility that they were on the floodplain.  I just wish I had taken a photo to show how much water there was.  I also took a couple of weeks off to work on assignments for uni.  I sent the first one (which I passed), and in completed 3/4 of the second (not due until June).  Oh, and the last thing that happened in April was that I gave notice at work.

May - Well, we had Mothers Day.  I went out for lunch with a couple of ladies at the 'Croc Hotel'.  That was very nice.  One of the ladies was also having her birthday.  The following weekend I went for a walk to Nourlangie and surrounds.  I would have liked to go to the billabong near Nourlangie, but it was closed because of the number of crocodiles. 

The Friday night before I was due to leave Jabiru, a small gathering was held as a farewell for me.  A few people went to my boss's house for a feed and drinks, as well as music (guitar playing and singing) and a bit of dancing by some.  It was a great night.  Finally, the last major event for May was driving away from Jabiru to head back to Woodford (via Darwin).  I went Darwin for a couple of days to relax, and then started on my long drive back to Woodford.  I have difficulty spending money, so I usually sleep in my car (which would be ok if it was a decent size).  The first day was a 12 hour drive and I stopped at Barkley Homestead Wayside Inn on the Barkley Highway, NT.  It was absolutely freezing during the night, and I woke to a gathering of semi-trailors including those of the Defence Force carrying enormous tanks.  Which unfortunately left before me (in the same direction) as I had to get petrol, and I therefore had to overtake.  Thank goodness the Barkley Highway is a long and fairly straight road, with not much traffic.  I drove to Richmond Qld, which took approximately 10 hours.  Richmond is part of the Dinosaur Trail (including Hughenden and Winton) in central Queensland.  I stayed there overnight, in a cabin at the caravan park, $94.50.  The only reason I did that was because my father wanted to me to go there on the way back and talked me into it.  He also said that he would pay for the cabin.  It just seems such a lot of money for somewhere to sleep and have a shower.  I'm just a tight-ass and have difficulty spending money, like a said previously.  No wonder I haven't gone overseas yet.  It costs money.  Anyway, I stayed in the cabin, where it was warm, and I could have a shower, so I wasn't a grot, and the next day went to Kronosaurus Korner, the dinosaur museum  http://www.kronosauruskorner.com.au/.  It was interesting, and some of the fossils were so detailed it was amazing.  There is also a fossicking field that you can go to, but I wanted to continue on as I had a long way to go.  I would eventually like to go to Lark Quarry - Dinosaur Trackways, 100km SW Winton  http://www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au/.  It is the only recorded dinosaur stampede on earth.  You can actually see the dinosaur tracks in the dried mud.  Anyway, another long drive for 11.5 hours where I stopped at Duaringa (inland from Rockhampton) and slept in the car again a roadside stop.  There were a lot of caravans and campervans etc there.  Everytime I do the long drive now, there seems to be so many grey nomads travelling around.  The roadside stops are packed.  It's great.  Anyway, another 8 hours approximately and I was having a cup of coffee on the back verandah of my parents house.