Sunday, 6 January 2013

Christmas and New Year in Alice

Chicken legs cooks chicken. Due to the stress of cooking, James forgot pants. Needless to say, Victor got a fright on arrival
Chicken stuffed with pistachio and cranberry cous cous and Jamie Oliver roast potatoes

Table setting by Min "Tonya Todman" Bradfield

After seeing a photo of her 2 year old niece using all her presents at once, Min decided to do the same things (yes, the t-shirt does say "I love Mini"... talk about self obssessd)

Family portrait. We adopted two of the other doctors (Adam and Victor) as our children for the day. There is an uncanny family resemblance


Thank you Bill Granger. Your simple yet delicious food has turned us into food wankers


Min and her first born Victor

View over Alice Springs from Mt Gillen

Adam's T-shirt is referring to the fact that 1 in 3 people die climbing Mt Gillen. Luckily, we all made it

Best photo so far

NYE at Ormiston gorge. 130km west of Alice
Beers at the gorge

After a lovely glamping meal (Neil Perry Morrocan chicken with rice pilaf), we cut loose. Told you we were food wankers




Going for a midnight swim in the gorge to bring in the new year. Dave made us take the ipod speaker and play Nightswimming by REM. In Dave's own words... "magical"


Peaceful contemplation at Simpson gap

Nanna napping on the way home. Sleep well bearded beauty
Dave summiting Mt Gillen. He was nearly the 1 in 3
An artwork we bought by Kudditji Kngwarreye
An artwork we bought by Abbie Loy
The predicted weather this week. Yes, the temperature was 33.7 at 8.30am!

We had a wonderful time over christmas and new year. Thanks for visiting Dave! We loved having you.
Two more weeks and we are done up here. It has been very eye opening and really enjoyable. We will be sad to go.
Next stop Tassie via South Australia and Victoria (Trev and Phil, can we crash at yours in Melbourne?)
Stay tuned...

Sunday, 23 December 2012

Filling in the gaps

Hi!

Another long break from the blog demands a decent catch up. Here goes...

Dad visited. Here we are at Chambers pillar (about 180km south of Alice). I can't believe people say we look alike
Probably the best campsite yet we have stayed at. Dad got the 'Taj'. Min and I slummed it in the two man.

Dinner by LED light. Amazing lighting rig up by Macgyver (I fashioned the lights together from some rocks, pine needles and some Photuris lucicrescens - that's latin for fireflys)

Exploring the East MacDonnell ranges. Good to see that Dad learnt his lesson after falling off the roof (while cleaning the gutters) about 10 years ago. He's still got it!

Always amazing with animals... some call him "Wallaby Whisperer"

Except this one time (if you get a good haircut once, why change it?)

Feeding the black footed rock wallabies on her 30th birthday. We are two crazy cats

Driving down into the creek bed behind Ellery creek. A great afternoon

The people we went with brought their dog. He led the way

Relaxing at Ellery creek with some friends from the hospital

Brenna showing Steph the finer art of "syncro". Brenna made nationals (she's the one with the hamburger smile).

The Todd river flowing. It only flows about once a year and can happen very quickly. Huge deal and massive spectacle. Best night in Alice!

Just ask these guys... they got stranded and needed police rescue

Looking back at the Todd tavern from the bridge over the river.

The same view 2 days later.

Popping back to the south coast of Sydney for Jack and Jasmin's wedding. From Left to right: Dave, Troy Casser-Daley, James and Wes.

Jack and Jasmin, first dance

Min went to Claire and Rick's wedding the same weekend

The groom cuts loose

"Princess Bren Bren" (strutting at the back) and her gals. They put together a little syncro routine at the hospital pool... hilarious.

Lighting of the Alice Springs Christmas tree
James in 20 years (apologies Min... you said yes)

Going up Mt Gillen. Min trying out her new boots

Here skip...tch tch

Twilight sun beating off the rocks at the top of Mt Gillen
We made it to the top just in time

"No Min, we will easily make it down before dark" (thanks for packing the head torches Min)
Merry Christmas everyone!