OFF-ROADING!!!!!!!

Cairns to Darwin is a 2900km drive, much of which is only really possible in a 4x4 jeep. "Activities" as such are few and far between, the main attraction is the front row seats as the landscape changes from rolling hills and meadows to grassy savannahs to croc infested creeks and swamps to 350 million year old red rock outcrops and baron desert.

For 5 days we had 8 hours a day of the most satisfying driving conditions a man can ask for. There were bumps and jumps and power-slides round dusty corners before engaging 4WD to negotiate overflowing streams or rocky creek beds - lots of fun, especially as there usually isn't another vehicle for 2 hours in either direction!

Although I must say it wasn't always the real life version of a really good video game - Kerri drove sometimes. During these times we would marvel at the wild kangaroos and the enormous meter high eagles standing in the middle of the road eating the dead, wild kangaroos.

These roads are littered with roadkill, so we console ourselves in the knowledge that it was only a matter of time before we contributed. I was cruising along at a sedate 60km/h (it was getting dark) when suddenly a foolish roo leapt from the bushes directly into the bull bar. One sickening thus and a couple of bumps later it was a gonner. At least we assume it was, a 5 minute conversation followed in which we decided to assume it was dead as neither of us really wanted to check. "Never drive at dusk or dawn" is the advice we received 2 hours too late. We just thank the good Lord that Kerri wasn't driving.