A walk by any other name...

We have a new route for our afternoon walks.

There is a suite of walking routes which we take depending on our mood and how much time we have. Sometimes we do a stroll around the backstreets of Ludmilla. On other days we cut through the block of low lying mangroves to reach an empty field and bushland in the back of Parap. Other days we drive to Casuarina and walk for miles along the deserted beach.

The new walk takes in both beach and bushland. We start at the carpark at Casuarina Beach ( near the nudist part ) and walk along a criss-crossing trail of paths through coastal reserve towards a place called Sandy Creek. It is a 6km walk one way and then we cross over to the beach, pull off our sandshoes, throw them over our shoulders, and return via the shoreline. Arthur loves it as he gets to run free off the leash, and the bush is a magical playground for a hairy pup who loves sniffing the many woody, leafy scents.

The other day when we were walking, he ran up to me carrying the bony remains of a possum, complete with wiry tail, as if to say; Look what I found!

I enjoy it so much that I channelled Anne of Green Gables, and felt an urge to call the walk a wonderfully descriptive and vivid name like 'Where the Pinetrees meet the Seasalt Amble' or 'Fragrant Bushland and Barefooted Beach Way'. But funnily enough we call it the 'Surf and Turf' walk. Not quite as romantic but it seems to roll more readily off the tongue.

A hot foray into Katherine and surrounds

A weekend away. Saturday we drove to Katherine for my first time visit. We packed the esky, Arthur jumped in the back, we had a stash of CDs,and we were off. Needing some time away, time to get some perspective on life and what better than to do some exploring! The plan was to leave Arthur with our landlords who lived in Katherine while we headed to the Gorge for a boat ride. It was hot. To avoid sun damage, I was garbed in jeans, cons, long sleeved top, scarf and wide-brimmed hat. A number of people (mainly older ladies) asked me concernedly if I was hot during the day and why was I wearing a jumper in this heat? Least I wasn't getting burnt...! The Gorge was lovely, and quite breathtaking. I ached to peel off my clothes and dive into the clear waters.

After collecting Arthur we headed off to our abode for the evening, at Mataranka. We were staying at some cabins 500m from the Bitter Springs. The cabins were great, surrounded by tall termite mounds and large sprinklers chick-chick-chicking around the grounds. We retreated to the A/C; whipped up a plate of cheese, dolmades and tasty treats; and indulged in a splash of vino. I awoke in the middle of the night to hear wallabies nibbling the grass outside our cabin. The next morning we swam in the cobalt blue springs and sweated it out discovering Katherine.
We sat in the park in Katherine to eat lunch and ring Dads for Father's Day. I told Dad it was hot, around 32 degrees. Later that evening I saw on the ABC news that it was a gigantic 37 degrees in Katherine that weekend. No wonder I was sweltering in my layers of clothing...!

A lovely quote sent to me by my friend Jen as she embarks upon a whirlwind worldwide trip to delicious places....

Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance - the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it; better, will preserve it longer, than the sad or sullen ~ Thomas Carlyle