Ok so Broom - Darwin (Part 1) This was booked back in Perth and as far as i knew it would be half camping in campsite and i didnt really understand the rest but i signed up any way. I was picked up in Broom at 6:30 the morning after the Engalnd game (the Paraguay one) The 4x4 that picked us up was tiny and had a trailor attached to the back. After being introduced to Greg the driver (Mick Dundee no lie !!) we set off on our way for a 5 day trip to Darwin. Included in the trip were 2 American friends Sam and Scott, 2 French friends Renoud (male) and Magali (female), a Canadian girl Danielle, another American Andria, a german girl Antonia and an english girl Lisa who i had spent a few days with on the Easy rider Bus (she is in some of the pics form then). The seating in the back of the 4x4 was like 2 benches facing each other so it was very social which ment that we all got to know each other very well very quickly. Again i have to say that i was lucky enough to have an awesome group that all got along well, me and Lisa where both the oldest with Danielle being the youngest having just turned 20. After a quick stop for snack's and toilet, Greg decided to advise us all of what we would be doing and what the trip would be about. This is when i found out that i/we would not be able to shower for the next 5 days, the closest thing we would get to a shower would be swimming in water falls (but no soap alowd) we had a shovel for any number 2 bathroom needs and we would be sleeping in the middle of knowhere the whole time except for one night when we would use a known camping spot. We would have no tents only swags (which are army style sleeping bags that you put your own sleeping bag inside) and we would be getting very very dirty......brilliant !! i signed up for this ???? i paid money for this ??? Any who, we set off and our fist stop was to a place where Greg could show us a Boab tree, which is a large/wide tree with hollow insides. Back in the slave days the Europeans and white Australians used to march the Aborigionals and slaves from one town to another, but if one town didnt have enough space in the prison for the slaves they would store them outside the towns in these trees untill there was space for them. So the Boab tree is known as a prison tree, as you will see form the pics they aren't very big but they would store upto 40 people in them for weeks untill space in the prisons was free. After that we drove to a george that had a crock warning sign at the entrance (this was to be the first of MANY croc encounters) gladly they were only fresh water crocs that were more scared of us then visa versa. after spotting one too many crocs for my liking we sat on the sand area and had lunch. After lunch we set of again, during the drive Scott was sat up front with "question time" Greg (he askes so many questions and laughs all the time, he is such a top guy and guide) suddenly Scott shouted out "snake" Greg slamed on the breaks and pulled over to the side of the road, he told us to stay in the 4x4 untill he saw what type it was and if it was safe for us to see it. He called us over and once we where there he told us that it was a Black headded Python, he said that it wasnt poisenous (cant spell) and is a constrictor and can bite, he said that most big snakes are constictors and the small ones have poison. while we were all sh!tting our self's being so close to a MASSIVE (check the pics) snake and trying to take pics, Greg "Mick Dundee" suddenly jumps and grabs hold of the back of it......... i mean come on!!! i thought only crazy people in films did that, oh and Steve Irwin. So the snake starts flipping out and so do we, and Gregs like "oh he's mad now see how he's reacting" the snake stops dead still and looks Greg straight in the face and starts hissing at him, he's telling us that because of its size it could eat a whole kangeroo or walabee and would do some serious damage to a human ! "then let go" i thought !!!! "let go and run, run like hell crazy man" So eventually he lets go because the snake is p!ssed off by now and we dont want to die. So we all get back in the 4x4 and carry on our little trip. Next stop was some caves in a famous tunnel (forgoten name will find out though) in which a famous Aborigional policeman used to escape the law after chosing his people over the law, we packed some flash lights and set off. I know this is pritty obvious but it was dam dark in there, and wet. At times the water was almost waist height, we wondered through about 1-2km of cave seeing all the spots that he and his people used to escape and hide b4 headding back. On our last stop we saw the remains of an outback police station where a gun battle had taken place and the Aborigional had been killed, it was a good story in its full but i cant be bothered to tell you all, its too long.....sorry xxx So on we drove untill Greg decided to pull off the road and found a flat peice of land for us to sleep on. He unpacked the traylor whjile we found more fire wood (we had pulled over during the day and collected some), we set up 2 tables and started chopping veg and meat for dinner and washing up bowls to clean the plates and things, then "Master Chef" Greg (yes he has many talents) cooked us up a meal fit for a king on the fire we had created. After a chat around the fire we all got in our swags and settled down to sleep. I woke up a few time in the night due to a tooth ache problem but after realising i was the only one awake in the middle of KNOWHERE i soon sent myself back to sleep. Just as my head hit my blow up pillow (well worth its money) it was time to get up. but surly it was a mistake, greg was waking every one up....but it was still dark, i looked at my watch and it was ................... 4:30am!! oh no... im not telling a fib it was 4:30AM. As you can imagin every one was happy as larry and sprang into action !! not !! Well thats enough for now will continue when my finger cramp has settled down, check out the pics that i have put on from Thailand. I lost a memory card and have found it again so uploaded them. They are mainly of Chang Mai. Hope you like them. Im in Cairnes at the mo so i have alot of updating and pics to put on and will be doing so in the days to come. As usual hope your all well, keep the emails coming Nik xx