This is our spot while we are travelling, we have a nice bed to stretch out on and a pillow for our weary little Whippet heads to rest upon.

26.08.2010 - thursday and we are off on our holidays in the new to us H.on.W. This is us all comfy on the back seat/bed with a nice cushion between us for resting our weary little Whippet heads when we get tired!

Annie finished working on Tuesday but spent yesterday doing other stuff, resting (must have been living with Whippets for too long!) and baking some yummies for the trip!

We got away today at about 11.30 or so and took a slow ride down to Pine Creek where we had a lovely leg stretch and Annie had a cuppa, we then drove on to Katherine and filled up with fuel but did not stop longer than that, instead we headed down to the rest area known as Warloch Ponds. Some nice people to talk to and make a fuss of us.

Plenty of room there too and fairly quiet, so we did not have too bad a sleep although it was a bit stuffy, our little fan saved us though.

In the morning we got up nice and early and headed off in the cool, we had a run at Daly River but did not go up to the Pub, we pushed on and we were making such good time that we got to Tennant Creek in daylight, had a quick run, filled up again and spent the night at Devils Marbles so we had walkies pm and again am. It was also a lot cooler and far more conducive to sleeping for us all.

The next day we got on the road early again and got past the bit Annie does not like much and had a play at Ti Tree but decided that rather than pay for the CP at Ti Tree or Aileron we push on and see how far we could get, In Alice we were very sad to discover that our favourite cafe that served food with a distictly Central Australian almost Bush Tucker flavour had been sold and was now a Noodle House and, to make matters even worse no longer allowed dogs to sit at the outside tables. Needless to say Annie did not eat there!

She then thought we could camp at the Showgrounds but as soon as we got near she realised that we would not be doing that either as it was the week-end of the 10th Anniversary of the Transport Hall of fame and the Showgrounds were packed, we could not even stop there for a run like we usually do. In the end we went down to Finke rest area which had been sort of extended as some of the fence had been removed - there were lots of vehicles there and as we found a spot a friendly lady called out for us to get parked, bring a chair and a drink over and join the mob!...and bring your dogs too! That sounded all right to us.

We had a lovely night, shared tea and music and a glass of red (well Annie had that, we didn't of course). Annie and I have camped here before but we have never it looking so pretty, there was still a fair amount of water in the Finke, lots of greenery and the sand was dampish and cool, our morning run was just wonderfull, loads of smells some of which I just could not make out at all. There was a dingo sharing the morning with us, he kept well back but was keen to sniff all the places we had been.

Once we had enjoyed this lovely walk and had Annie had another cuppa we headed South again, we did some training at Marla as they have a little Oval of sorts, we both did nice work and scored a lot of treats but I am so bored with this Obediance stuff really. We then drove down to Cadney Park where there is a roadhouse, a cattle station, a landing strip and friends with an airplane. We camped at the Station paddock overnight and in the morning we got a horrible shock - Annie gave us a run and our breakfast and then said 'see you later boys I'm going flying for a while and you have to stay here'.

We could not belive that she would just abandon us like that.....but then a nice lady came and gave us each a big bone and lots of pats and said she would keep coming back to talk to us (which she did) and before we knew it Annie had come back and more than half the day had gone by.

Not long after Annie had left us all alone (except for the nice bone lady) we saw an airplane take off, our Annie was in it. Now I had to have a serious talk with her about that, what would have happened to us if you had crashed or something I asked? She said we would have been taken care of, now what does that mean I ask you? eh? Not good enough I think. Anyway, it seems she flew off to see some silly old Lake in flood, I mean we have just come from Darwin where we see lots of stuff being flooded each wet season, but she was quite excited about it all.

Connor and I did forgive her quite soon after that, well it was tea time after all and we were so very very pleased to have her back with us!