As Jason says on the PA - "Allrightie Guys"

Sunday 31st August - We were up brightish and early (5am) to get the taxi to the pick up for our long trip to Broome. Some minor excitement when we discovered that there were two tours departing at the same time, a nine day, and ours, which takes ten. All was sorted satisfactorily and we were picked up by Jason, to join 4 other passengers in a large 21 seat 4WD truck with just one more to pick up - so plenty of room to move around. We set off fine, but as we were leaving Darwin Jason managed to miss a turn and get lost. It turned out this was only the third time he'd been to Darwin! However, he has been a guide in the Kimberley for 7 years, and that is where we are spending 8 of the 10 days.

After asking a local garage for directions we got on the right road (the Stuart Highway which goes all the way across the centre of Australia to Adelaide) and had our first break at Adelaide River about 110km from Darwin to visit the war graves cemetery. It's a typical immaculately maintained place, which also commemorates the medical personnel killed when the Darwin hospital was bombed. The local paper in Darwin reported that a Vietnamese fisherman was killed by a croc here two weeks ago when he went in the river to unsnag his lure. Lunch was at Edith Falls and in the afternoon we travelled on to our overnight stop at Katherine Gorge. The places were named after the daughters of the sponsor of the expedition which discovered them, led by John McDouall Stuart, who got the road named after him. In this case "discovered" has the colonial meaning - found by a white man looking for places and people to exploit - the non-white locals have known all about their country for thousands of years.

At the end of the afternoon we went on a boat trip through the first two Katherine Gorges with a very interesting and skilled indigenous guide - one part of the trip required him to thread a large boat through a shallow section with rocks only inches away on both sides. Spectacular scenery, fascinating facts and great wildlife - an osprey, several freshies, lots of flying foxes including one being hunted by a bird of prey. In the evening we had dinner provided by the campsite, sitting by the pool with a couple of cold tinnies getting to know the other members of the party. There's Paul and Kathy from Queensland (a farmer and a teacher), Joachim and Sonya from Munich and Nick from Adelaide - Nick's in his 30s but everyone else is of a similar age.

Today was a long 600km trek to Kununurra, the eastern gateway to the Kimberley, which is one of the most remote parts of Australia and where we are due to spend the remainder of the trip. Due to an administrative glitch the tour company was not able to book enough cabins at the campsite, so offered us the chance to stay for the next two nights in the nearby luxury hotel. We agreed to take one for the team, so I'm now sitting in our huge room taking advantage of the free internet and following the Eagles progress against Featherstone on Twitter.

And Eagles win 28-40 at Featherstone ... time for bed!

 Adelaide River war cemetery:

The Adelaide River is not part of the management zone, but it only reduces the risk, it doesn't eliminate it, so we will be careful:

On the way down to gorge cruise everyone said this Kookaburra at the side of the path must be a model, until it moved its head:

Katherine Gorge:

There were hundreds of flying foxes all along the river bank:

Another freshie:

Plenty of wallabies around the camp site, you can walk within a couple of feet of some of them:

A view through the front of the truck, the head to the left is Joachim, he and Sonya bagged the front seats again today:

Lunch overlooking the Victoria River:

The border crossing into Western Australia means something, all the remaining fresh produce on the truck, and us, had to be discarded:

Unofficial Aussie signs tend to be fairly direct:

G'day mates

Well here we are in Aussie, and so far Crocodile Dundee seems to be a good preparation for the real thing. I've been greeted with "G'day mate" several times, and people have been really friendly and open - we got talking to a bloke at a bus stop and before the bus arrived we found out he was 42, had just arrived that morning, was a leading hand concrete construction worker and had had three job offers which would pay between $2000 and $3000 a week compared with $1300 in Vicco (Victoria) where he'd just come from. We've also seen lots of wildlife, including several proper wild crocs, but no big knives, yet.

On our last day in Singapore we took a guided bus tour around the city (it was very good and we ought to have taken it on the first day) which finished at the Botanic Gardens. We knew that Linda (nee Burkill), with whom we are going to stay in Perth, was the daughter of someone who had worked there. When we alighted at the Burkill Gate and walked up to the VIP orchid display next to the Burkill Hall, we found out he had been the Director and that his father had also been Director - but no red carpet for us.

The VIP orchid collection shows off the orchid varieties that they have bred which are named after visiting dignitaries - popular, like Nelson Mandela, middling, like William and Kate and ... Margaret Thatcher. The orchid collection is spectacular and the rest of the gardens look very interesting but we were running out of time and (for the first time) having to dodge some heavy showers, so we only saw the stuff on our route to the gate where we took the public bus back to our hotel.

We arrived in Darwin at 5.35am, found our room key in a key-coded box by reception and stumbled across the yard to flake out until mid-morning when we were woken by the RAAF jets returning from an exercise. Met the extremely friendly and helpful staff who sorted us out for use of the washing machines, buses to and from the centre of Darwin and a suggestion of where to go for tea, which we followed.

Darwin is a small (120,000) city which had more bombs dropped on it by the Japanese than Pearl Harbour, and it was also flattened by Cyclone Tracy in 1974, so almost everything is newly built. They seem to be doing a good job, certainly back packers seem to like the place, and we had a decent meal on Stokes Wharf, a food court made from converted dock buildings on the Waterfront where we watched the sunset while eating. While walking back we noticed that several trees on the waterfront had fruit on them, when a large black shape fluttered past and then hung upside down in the tree above our heads and started munching - a flying fox.

Next day we were picked up at 6.10am for our overnight trip to the Kakadu National Park. It was a wonderful experience, despite many hours of driving in a 4WD bus - inevitable as its twice the size of Switzerland with 1500 indigenous inhabitants. Our guide/driver/chef was Josh an early 30s part-time musician who had spent several years in Africa and Europe as well as working all over Australia - he also had a degree in indigenous studies which meant he was well qualified to talk about the indigenous art we saw at Ubirr. But first we went on a boat tour of Rock Point Billabong (which means "always water"). We saw a saltie and freshie croc in the first few minutes, then white bellied sea eagles, lots of egrets, whistling ducks, more salties up to 4.5m long (probably about 50 years old) and a Jaribu - a stork with a huge bill so fearsome it bullies crocs into giving up their food.

After staying in a fixed camp over a fairly cold night (I should have hired the optional sleeping bag) we struck out for Gunlom Falls. It was one of the locations for Crocodile Dundee and in the wet season offers a spectacular 30m waterfall, but this is the dry season so there was only a trickle. However there are still beautiful pools at the top where our bus companions (3 Brit girls from Wakefield, Bradford and Macclesfield, 3 male and one female Italians, 2 German girls and 2 very French mesdemoiselles - all in their early 20s) went for a swim. It was a long hot climb up, but we made it with only one slip and bruised knee (for me) - we declined the swim not wanting to get burnt before the start of our long trek to Broome, which starts at 6.15 tomorrow.

Orchids used as bedding bring out Louise's Japanese side:

Sunset over Darwin waterfront:

A Freshwater Crocodile (freshie) smaller, less dangerous:

A Jabiru, about as tall as Louise, and capable of worrying a croc:

White-bellied Sea Eagle on its nest:

A 4.5m saltie (Saltwater or Estuarine Crocodile), well capable of killing cattle, or people. They open their mouths to stop their brain overheating and have a 4 chamber heart which they can change to 3 chambers to allow them to stay underwater for two hours:

Indigenous rock art, some of it is thousands of years old:

View over the East Alligator River, a month ago most of it was under water:

Rock Wallaby keeping cool:

Cathedral termite mounds:

Pools at the top of Gunlom Falls:

The falls themselves, we survived the climb to the top, and the way down:

Festival time

Sunday 24th August - We seem to have chosen the right time to come to Singapore - yesterday we went to the Singapore Kite Festival 2014 and the Singapore Night Festival 2014, today we had the Singapore Garden Festival 2014.

Yesterday morning, before going festival-ing,  we went for a walk around the local neighbourhood, which features the oldest public housing estate on the island. It's built in the Art Deco inspired Streamline Moderne style, and is covered by a heritage trail and comprehensive guide book/local history. The guide goes as far as covering the life histories of some of the stall holders in the recently modernised market.

The Kite Festival attracted thousands of families and the sponsors were handing out free kites, so it was difficult to walk anywhere without being tangled in kite strings. There were living statues and street entertainment, including one pair who had been flown in from the UK. We saw one half of them (the other half had literally fainted from the heat) and he was excellent, if a bit sweaty (a suit and tie is not the best costume for Singapore).

The Night Festival starts when it gets dark and features a lot of art and music, including some stunning projections of Cambodian temple images onto trees. Some streets are closed off and the crowds are marshalled across the ones that are still open by their version of the Specials, the Auxiliary Police. They are equipped with whistles, which they blow enthusiastically but seemingly at random, and batons which flash blue and red - ordinary security guards are also around but they only have flashing red batons and no whistles.

The Garden Festival was at the Gardens by the Bay - a massive garden development on reclaimed land which features two huge Eden-Project-like conservatories, both fully air-conditioned. The biggest covering 3 acres is 35 metres high and contains various Mediterranean climate exhibits from around the world. As today is a Sunday it also contained thousands of Singaporeans and tourists, most of whom were intent on photographing each other using the plants as a background. Louise took pictures of interesting plants, I concentrated on pictures of people taking pictures of people - particularly those using selfie sticks. The other conservatory covers only 2 acres, but is big enough to house a 35m high waterfall and a 42m mountain, which you go to the top of and then go on an aerial walkway. There is a warning it shouldn't be used by those with heart conditions or fear of heights. The theme is cloud forest, and it is certainly cool and wet, but also full of snappers.

The festival itself was mostly in air-conditioned marquees, including some full-sized gardens seemingly based on a night-time theme, which made it a bit difficult to see all the plants. However, the best in show was outside, and by a British designer. Unfortunately it was on two levels with most of the plants on the top, not easily visible from the ground.

Art Deco stylings:

One of the market stalls (not the one we got our food from):

Lots of kites:

Tree faces:

Like the Winter Garden in Sheffield, but a bit bigger:

Selfie stickery:

It's quite high:

In the night garden:

Best in Show (just after a bit of rain):

Contrasts

Friday 23rd August - Here we are in a "boutique hotel" in Singapore. The room is very clean and comfortable and the TV is huge, but space is otherwise quite limited. Yesterday we went to the Angkor National Museum - new and very impressive with very interesting exhibits. We wished we could have spent longer there. But we had to get to the airport, Mr Marom took us in his tuk tuk and charged us $30 for the one and a half days. The flight was fine and we got into an air-conditioned taxi for Mr Ben Ali to take us to our hotel - the ride cost just under 30 Singapore dollars.

Singapore has some hugely impressive infrastructure - the road from the airport is designed to be used as an emergency runway, just by moving the planting boxes in the central reserve, and then we went onto the new Marina Coastal Expressway - 5 lanes in each direction and a 3.5km tunnel part of which is under the seabed. This morning we started using the MRT, much better than the London Underground, and visited the Singapore National Museum. We spent several hours following the history of Singapore from the 14th century through to the present day. The whole thing was superbly presented and fascinating to follow. Finished off with a walk round the old colonial part of town ending up going along by the river where we found statues of Ho Chi Minh and Deng Xiaoping, not what we were expecting to see facing the forest of bank skyscrapers on the opposite bank.

Singapore Art Museum, formerly a Catholic School:

The view across Singapore Cricket Club's ground (for Nigel - Madras CC fielding, Singhalese CC on 140 something for 6 in the 19th over of a 20/20 - they finished their innings on 156 for 8, and a six landed about 10 yards from where we were standing)

Do what you're told in Singapore - it's illegal to bring in chewing gum, and drug smugglers face a mandatory death penalty:

Uncle Ho's view across the river:

Last night in Cambodia

No recent posts because of internet access issues, which I hope are sorted.

We are now in Siem Reap, due to set off for Singapore tomorrow. Today we did the full tourist thing - temples and tourist attractions in a tuk tuk, with Mr Marom, who has been my driver all three times I've been here. He said he remembered us from 7 years ago, and that Louise hadn't changed - the charmer!

The previous two days were mostly spent on the road, 6 hrs from Phnom Penh to Kratie, across the Mekong to our island hotel - no air-con or internet, but very close to proper rural Cambodia - then 8 hrs from Kratie to Siem Reap, but with a two hour diversion in Kampie to see the Irrawady Dolphins. They proved very obliging, though not for still photography. They were close enough to hear them snort as they surfaced, but they don't jump or follow any pattern so your camera is usually pointing in the wrong direction.

Our long road trip enabled me to observe some interesting rural Cambodian traffic behaviour:

• They drive on the right in Cambodia, but it is not wise to rely on this as a universal rule.
• The left indicator is used to show that the driver intends to overtake, is overtaking, has just overtaken, or overtook some time ago and is now on the phone and unable to operate the indicator switch.
• Left and right hand turns are indicated by a sharp turn of the steering wheel in the appropriate direction.
• The right indicator is not used.
• The Cambodian equivalent of our double white line is a broad yellow line - it has the same meaning to drivers as a broken yellow line, or no yellow line at all.
• One handed riding of a motorcycle is a useful skill, not only does it make you look cool, but it can also be helpful when smoking, using the phone, texting, holding a 25 litre water container, steadying a small child or carrying a 6m length of drain pipe (all on a main road)
• Public transport is provided by small minibuses with 4 rows of 3 seats. Cambodians are not large people so tickets are sold on the basis that 4 people will fit on each row. If the bus is full it may also be possible for a passenger to sit on the roof. Luggage is piled around the passengers and behind the back row of seats. Larger items of luggage may be strapped on behind the rear door, such as six air-conditioning units, two motorcycles or a double bed. If you wish to carry a mini-tractor as well as a motorcycle the rear door may also be opened.

Solving a luggage problem:

Crossing to the island:

Rural Cambodia -1 :

Rural Cambodia 2:

Ready for bed, only 3 bites each so far:

Herons are easier to photograph than dolphins:

Cambodians go to the temples too:

Waiting for sunset at Angkor Wat, Louise photographing an interesting tree. The small boy didn't sell us "10 postcards one dollar".

Last night in Phnom Penh

We've had a great time in Cambodia so far - nice hotel with friendly staff, we're the only guests as it is hot wet season - only 37 with 80% humidity yesterday, cooler at 35 today. Had two great visits to NFC, and met up with Joe and Laura but they went back to Singapore this morning. We had a nice meal at a veggie restaurant round the corner this evening, it's run by Indians from Kerala and almost all the clientele seemed to be Brits.

Looking cool in a tuk-tuk:

Can't get away from the Premier league, even outside Joe's tailor, he got a suit made for $150 in three days:

It was great to see round NFC again:

Phnom Penh waterfront from the private boat our tuk tuk driver organised:

Nigel will be pleased to know that they brew dark beer in Cambodia - it's nice too!:

Cambodia is modernising (not necessarily all a good thing) - the brand new Aeon Mall built by the Japanese, very swish (and cold):

We tried to find Cadbury's Chocolate Fingers, but these will have to do:

... and Eagles beat Whitehaven 36-28. Following it on Twitter is very nerve-wracking.