The way home

I won't bore you with the ins and outs of the trip home except the confirm that it was indeed a long boring seven days in the car - and yep - there was no air con. Thankfully it got colder as we headed south. The only minor hiccups were the automatic transmission overheat light coming on in the Dmax middle of the Barkley Tablelands - but it went out as soon as we pulled over and was fine the rest of the way (but I think it's time to buy a Toyata), and Bruce and Daph had a blowout (read, shredding) on the trailer which was a quick change and off we go again. 

It was weird to be back on land. Having just completed this momentous event for us I felt a bit like Frodo Baggins back at the pub in Hobbiton after he came back from Mordor. 

Back in Derby Entrance Caravan Park, we pitched our tents and settled in for our first night back on land - and for some reason we were a bit jumpy about being surrounded by people. Maybe it was because there had been a few issues lately with robberies (it's pretty hard to secure stuff in a boat). Anyway, at some time in the night the kids (who sleep in the boat) decided to go to the loo. As they climbed back into the boat Daz heard them and though someone was robbing the boat. We were all rudely awoken to Daz yelling: 

“PISS OFF YER MONGRELS!!” 

Still half asleep, I shat myself cos I saw a silhouette of someone was climbing into the boat where the kids were. 

So I joined in “PISS OFF! GO ON! PISS OFF!!” As I scrambled out of bed. 

This in turn work Bruce up….”URGRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” Now he was LOUD!

At this point Jessica whimpered ….”but…” and Daz and I realised it was just our own kids frozen in shock at the steps of the boat. 

Nat:  It’s alright it’s just the kids” 

Bruce: (still mostly asleep)  “UUUURRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!”

Daph and Nat: “Bruce it’s ok it’s the KIDS”

Bruce (Still mostly asleep):  “STOP OR I’LL SHOOT!!!!”

Daph: “It’s OUR kids!!!”

Bruce: “Oh aaaa, Uh,  OK, Shit” (sighs and sounds a bit like he might be having a heart attack - which is fine because I'm pretty sure I was having one too)

Daz: “OK then, back to bed” (snuggles down)

Nat: “Darren you BASTARD!!!!! Kids, can you please yell out and let me know next time you need to pee?!?!”

Kids: (whimpered) "OK"

Sleep after that was a long time coming. I'd like apologise to everyone in the Kimberley Entrance Caravan Park for the fright. :-)


So those are all the exciting bits. Now we're just cleaning up and settling back into normal work routine.  Was it all worth 14 days of driving and 18 months of planning. HELL YES!! Buccaneer Archipelago is an absolute wonder to experience and I will forever remember this as one for the books.  I want to extend a huge thanks to Bruce and Daph - I don't know many people in their 30s who do what they do in their 70s #Respect. 

I don't know how we're going to top this adventure...but I'm sure we'll think of something.