Jake Lumsden is our nine year old grandson who lives in New Zealand with his parents and younger brother and sister. The photos below are of Jake and his brother, Tim aged 8, preparing to leave their mum and sister at the Auckland Airport.
They travelled the trip from Melbourne to Townsville via the Simpson Desert with us and this is Jake's account of his trip.
Jake and Tim at Auckland Airport Prior to departure |
A snack before they board |
Zoe watches them leave - no she doesn't turn around Zoe they are out of the window |
Going - Going Gone |
Getting ready to go |
Today my younger brother Tim and I travelled on our own
to Melbourne. Our plane arrived at 5.30pm in Melbourne. The air host came and got us through customs
and through the final doors to where Nan and Grandad were. The air host checked Nan’s ID so they could
tell she was the right person to leave us with. Finally we could go to bed we
were really tired. The Patrol was partly packed already we just needed to
finish it in the morning. Connor arrived
late tonight once we had gone to bed.
Connor is my cousin that is going to be travelling with us turned
up.
Having our first meal in Australia |
27/5/2013
Today we travelled 380 km’s to Burra. At Burra we saw
some fossils at the town council building. There was the skull and part of the
spine.
Burra is 150 km’s north of the Mildura and the Murray
River. Also known as the mighty Murray,
because when the settlers came to Australia they used the Murray for food E.G
fish, transport and water from the river to water their crops but they couldn’t
drink it because it is so muddy so they had to find fresh water lakes that
leads to the Murray.
Our cabin
|
A steam paddler on the Murray |
28/5/2013
Today
we travelled 380 km’s to Leigh Creek. Did you know that Leigh creek was built
for the excellent coal mining, they fill a 2.8 km train every day and that
makes up 50% of South Australia’s power?
Today we travelled 365 km’s to William Creek. William Creek
only has one pub and no shops. Tonight is our first night in the tents and in
the tent it will be for the rest of the trip until we get to Townsville. Today
I used my fly net for the first time on this trip.
30/5/2013
Today we travelled 380 km’s to Oodnadatta.
The pink roadhouse |
Our plans were to stay at Oodnadatta but we continued on
to Hamilton station. The flies there
were so annoying.
The flies at Hamilton
station
|
31/5/2013
Today
we travelled 255 km’s to Dalhousie Springs. At Dalhousie Springs there is a
billabong that is 38 degrees hot. In the billabong there was a little type of
goby that only lived in that billabong called the Dalhousie goby that nibbled
at the dead skin on your feet and when you ran your hand over your feet it was
so smooth. During the day the flies were all over you but at night there were
mosquitoes which were all over you!
1/6/2013
At
the beginning of the Simpson Desert |
Today we travelled
150 km’s to our first night in the dessert bypassing Purni Bore. The bore at
Purni Bore is 3-5 km’s deep and 85 degrees hot and is filled with mud and
animal droppings. After lunch we headed into the Simpson Desert.
2/6/2013
Today we travelled 50
km’s to the second night in the desert.
Me on the sled |
Tim playing with the whip
|
Me playing with the whip |
3/6/2013
Today we travelled 115
km’s to Poeppel’s Corner. Poeppel’s Corner is where the Northern Territory,
South Australia and Queensland all meet.
4/6/2013
Today we travelled
120 km’s to Birdsville. We went over Big
Red. Big Red is the largest sand dune in the whole of Australia!!
Big red!!
|
In Birdsville there were lots and lots of road trains!!!
One of many road trains
|
5/6/2013
Today we travelled 380 km’s to Boulia. We also saw some
small planes that look a lot like the Royal Flying Doctor Service but sadly
they were not the Royal Flying Doctor Service.L When
we were nearly there we saw a man rounding up his horses and in among all the
horses we saw a camel!!
6/6/2013
Today
we travelled 380 km’s to Winton. At
Winton there is the Waltzing Matilda Centre.
Banjo |
7/6/2013
Today we travelled 420 km’s to Campaspe River. Tonight we
used the brazier for the first time on this trip!! (It wasn’t the best of
fires) Grandad thought that the road trains were going through the middle of
the two tents! Because we were camping right next to the road and the road
trains were very noisy through the night.
Tim enjoying poking the brazier |
8/6/2013
Today we travelled 250 km’s to Townsville! Tonight we are
staying in a camp ground at the camp ground there is a swimming pool and a
jumping pillow. The camp ground we stayed at was called Big 4. I highly recommend it if you have children.
9/6/2013
Today we travelled 15 km’s to the house that Nan and
Grandad are house sitting for the family that live there who are going to
America for a month. They have one dog named Jessie. Jessie is a white and
brown Dalmatian.
12/6/2013
Today we travelled 450 km’s to Cairns to catch our plane
home to New Zealand. On the way to the airport we had to stop for a sugarcane
train. It went 0.5 km’s an hour that was
so slow that it took 10 minutes to pass.
By 10.00 o’clock we were at the airport and checked in and were sitting
down waiting for the air hostess to come and get us so while we waited we got a
pie to eat. When we were finished the air
hostess came and got us.
We arrived in at Auckland at 6.30 pm.
I’d like to say thanks to Nan and Grandad for giving me
this opportunity to go through the Simpson Desert. I know not a lot for people
get to go through the Simpson Desert.
Thanks
a lot. J
By Jake
Hi Gill, Peter and Connor (and the NZ boys Jake and Tim) What a great trip through the Simpson Desert,
ReplyDeleteStill enjoying your travels. I am looking forward to my next one but where and when I don't know!
Cheers Spiderwoman!
Hi there Barb,
DeleteNice to hear from you. Trust that all's well in your part of the world. Let us know when you get out on the road again, although we have watched out must admit haven't meet up with another spiderwoman yet on the road.
Gill & Peter
Nice writing, Jake :)
ReplyDelete