Step 86 - Darwin week 2

Tuesday 12th July – Monday 18^th July - Darwin week 2

Well to misquote Herman's Hermits: Second week, same as the first

Note: Herman said: “Second verse, same as the first”

A lot of relaxing, a bit of touristing and a few chores. Will this Hell never end?

SUMMARY:

Chores:

1 x TED (including the actual replacement of the seal bought last week)

3 x Loads of washing

2 x trips to supermarket

1 x Shopping Centres

1x Giving MM a bath at the car wash

Lots of Hours getting the blog up to date. (Not really a chore, I love the adulation)

Numerous phone calls, emails to sort out accommodation for Elke

     Including Elke actually moving in (thanks V & H & Marita)

Numerous phone calls, emails for connecting utilities to Elke's “pad”

Numerous phone calls to Elke. Sheeeeee's baaack.

Numerous phone calls to V & H, they are back too. That's a relief, we are going to need our travel guides on the same time zone once we start moving again next week.

      PS it's not a chore talking to V&H. The chore was organising moving into the new apartment and         getting the car out of storage

1x Planning meeting for next phase of the trip. (Don't want to overthink this thing).

Socialising:

7 x Wine o'clocks

Multiple Chats with two couples next door who are members of the Ulysses motorcycle club.

The four of them have travelled all the way round Australia (not in one go) on Honda Goldwing motorcycles. Towing trailers with their camping gear.

Relaxing

Many Swims in pool(s) at van park

Lots of reading

Note: Di has finished the Cobra now

(not so relaxing) Watched the last episode of NCIS LA (Series 1). That's it we have no more.

Started Watching the movie collection we bought along

   Salt with Angelina Jolie (sorry El). Great movie. Judging by the ending they are planning a sequel.

   Knight & Day (Tom Cruise & Cameron Diaz) – very entertaining, very over the top

Touristing

Picnic at Alexander Lake

It looked so good the other day we went back in MM and sat in the park for lunch.

Di's idea of a touristy day

Museum & Art Gallery

Bit of culture, but it came highly recommended. Plus it is free. Ka ching.

Lot of indigenous art including Albert (and other) Namatjira(s).

Cyclone Tracy exhibition, fascinating and disturbing. Maybe we will skip coming here to check out the wet season, it seems to include the cyclone season too. If Santa didn't make it into Darwin (according to the Bill & Boyd song anyway) probably not the place for us either.

I think this is an Ibis.
We've stayed at a couple of their hotels

Darwin Casino

OK, I am going to have to be honest here, this really was “pensioner day”.

• We caught the free bus from the park (at 9:35 am) and arrived at the Casino before 10:30.
• We signed up for the “casino club”. Free and it gave us $10 of free pokie play
• We signed up for a “$25 action pack” each
  • Another $5 of free pokie play
  • Free proper cappuccinno (with stunning view over the bay from the balcony)
  • Buffet lunch (RRP $19.95) including free soft drinks & tea & coffee
  • Free standard drink from the bar (we went for white wine)
  • Double your bet Keno (pay $5 and the casino doubled it to $10)

Come on guys, seriously we would have been mad not to partake. Wouldn't we?

• The coffee was great, the view from the balcony to die for.
• We arrived for the buffet lunch at 11:45 (ok that may have been a little bit pensioner like) but we didn't leave until 2:30 (that's more like a standard lunch, for Steve).
  • We may have overdone the “grazing” to be honest. But then again we only managed a peanut butter sandwich for dinner
• We both got real white wine. Again that might have been a stretch, I think it might have been casked wine
• We got door to door service on the bus
  • if we hadn't taken the bus we wouldn't now know that Darwin airport runway is the only runway in the Southern Hemisphere capable of landing the Space Shuttle
    • On the other hand that information is somewhat less useful as the Space Shuttle program finished last week. There will be no more shuttles.

Second picnic at Lake Alexander

Cancelled, due to Steve not getting back from ablution block in time. No, not a stomach upset, chatting to people along the way. Again.

This is what the Lake would have looked like if we got there today
It's what it looked like the first time

SPECIAL EVENTS

1x Near death experience.

OK, maybe a slight exaggeration, but seriously this is as close as I want to get to a bush fire.

Here's the scene: Steve sitting inside MM with back doors open to get the breeze through. Di pottering around.

Steve: “Gee, you can really smell the smoke today. Must be a fire somewhere.”

Di: “Yeah, it's really strong isn't it.”

Steve: “Gosh, there's ash blowing through the back door”

Di: “Maybe you should close the door.”

Steve: “Good idea”

Steve moves to back door.

Steve: “Golly” (or words to that effect). “There's flames in the paddock next door”

FIRE !!!!

Next bit of the conversation is a bit blurred but suffice it to say:

• that Di went up to the office and asked if anyone had noticed that we were all about to be incinerated
• the maintenance guys came and stood at the fence for 10 minutes
• the maintenance guys called the fire brigade
• the fire brigade came and put the fire out.

1x Medical emergency

Again, probably an exaggeration but Steve did get absolutely mauled by some bitey insect thingies. It was quite uncomfortable. Could have been midgies. Everybody gets bitten by midgies in Darwin.

Reader quiz: What are midgies?

Editors note: That has just reminded me, that I was reminded some time ago, that I may have neglected to publish the results of the reader quiz "can anyone identify the plant in this picture?" from about 3 months ago. The response was underwhelming, so by default the winner was Mrs. V. Hertaeg of Jan Juc, in Australia, with "I don't know the name but they are just a weed. The fruit is not edible."
Thank you Mrs. Hertaeg.

Conclusion

Darwin, is an ideal winter getaway.

By all accounts our weather experience here is standard for this time of the year: clear blue skies; temperatures in the low 30's and a cooling breeze.

The city, though small, offers all the mod con's. Including casino and there is plenty of touristy things to do and see.

Double bonus, QANTAS flies here so you could even get Marita looking after you on the trip up and back.

What the ?

Well that's it. Up to date for probably only the second or third time for the whole trip.

Next stop Kakadu. Leaving Darwin on Tuesday, stay tuned.

Step 86 Litchfield NP – Darwin – 170 km's

Tuesday 6^th July – Monday 12^th July – Darwin Week 1

After our pool hopping tourist day in Litchfield we made our way into Darwin to check in to the Darwin Free Spirit Resort. About thirteen kilometres from Darwin CBD, right on the Stuart Hwy, it has ben recommended to us by quite a few people. Really should have thought that through: If it's been recommended by so many people it probably gets quite busy. Especially in the peak season, which is now. The travel Gods smile upon us again and we managed to get booked in for a week. Even better it's quite a pleasant site, with a bit of shade, close to one of the 8 amenities blocks and one of the 3 swimming pools. Did I mention it's quite a large park.

Despite the size of the park it wasn't really a surprise when five minutes after we set up one half of our Westy Besties pulled into a site three up from us.

Editors note: Westy Besties = our new best friends from the western Suburbs (Sunbury). Also referred to in the blog as the Sunbury mob and our WB's.

The other couple have gone off to Kakadu while L & R are relaxing here in Darwin. I can see this leading to a bit of Wine O'clock action.

So this week becomes a bit of a mixture of relaxing holiday: reading; spending time at the swimming pool; few touristy excursions; bit of socialising

and then a few chores: washing for Di (quite a bit); couple of supermarket stock-ups; finding somewhere for Elke to live (Steve and Marita), a couple of TEDs and finding a job for Steve.

What – Steve, job? Surely you jest.

Hopefully it's just an anomaly but there have been a few phone calls, an internet job application and more phone calls. It will pass, don't worry. Not until November anyway.

Two days into the stay we decided that we needed a holiday from our holiday and checked in for another week here.

SUMMARY:

Chores:

1 x TED

3 x Loads of washing

3 x trips to supermarket

2 x Shopping Centres

   Note: split decision on this one. Steve thinks it's a chore. Di thinks it's touristing

1 x trip to camping store for new chair. Very comfy.

   Note: sadly I have to report that new chair was required to replace our $7 K-Mart special which broke

1x trip to caravan store for new seal for toilet cassette.

   Note: don't panic it was a pre-emptive replacement. No unfortunate incident(s).

Numerous phone calls, emails (and 1 on-site visit for Marita) to sort out accommodation for Elke

  Note: this will also function as somewhere for us to stay when we get back

Numerous phone calls, emails for Steve's job prospects

  Note: this also included numerous “lay downs” and deep breathing exercises to calm Steve down

Socialising:

5 x Wine o'clocks with WB's

   including two that continued on to dinner and after dinner

2x Wine o'clocks on our own

2 x Dinners out

  1 at Bistro in the van park

  1 Farewell dinner for WB's at proper restaurant in Darwin CBD

Relaxing

Many Swims in pool(s) at van park

Lots of reading

Note: Di & I have re-discovered Frederick Forsyth. Apparently he didn't stop writing in the 70's after the Day of the Jackal and The Dogs of War. His two latest novels The Afghan (2005) and The Cobra (2010) are just sensational pieces of story telling.

Touristing

Mindel market – $8 bus from the van park to the market and back. The market is apparently the highlight of a trip to Darwin. Well, 15,000 people thought so the night we went. Nonetheless it was a pleasant evening, market stalls, live music, watching the famous Darwin sunset and for dinner: some sensational crepes. Cajun chicken & avocado to start and strawberries & cointreau to finish. Not quite the Paris atmosphere but tasty.

You can't actually see the sun in this sunset shot
That's because when the sun was going down I was eating my crepes

You can't see the 15,000 people in this shot
Because it was dark

Cullen Bay & Mandorah Island ferry

Short cruise across Darwin Harbour on the sea cat and then barra burgers for lunch at the pub. (Steve's first barra of the trip).

Mandorah Island pub

Darwin Tour in MM

Darwin from the harbour

Drive through CBD, past the docks. Out to Fannie Bay (no really), Lake Alexander and East Point

Darwin tour in (public transport) bus

Well Darwin is a cheaper place for transport than Bathurst. $5 gets you an all day ticket to use any of the local buses. Free if you are a pensioner.

Our stretch limo for the day

Took one bus into the CBD and then transferred to the Mindil Beach bus to watch the beer can regatta. An iconic local event since the 1970's, apparently it was a lot bigger event in the 70's. I think that's a reflection on Australian drinking habits.

To continue the sightseeing we then took the bus to Casuarina (shopping centre). Di, trying to get her shopping fix in before we head off into the wilderness again.

Finally a bus from Casuarina back to the caravan park and that's pretty much a lap of Darwin. All for $5 each

Harley dealership

OK, technically this probably doesn't qualify as a tourist event but I had a good time anyway, chatting to the guys in the motorcycle shop. You have to plan ahead you know, there are a lot of Tattslotto draws between now and when we get home.

Special mentions

In return for us lending our WB's some cleaning products to help them with cleaning the Maui vans before returning them, we received another food and care package. (So this is what being a welfare recipient feels like). To say they over catered for their trip just doesn't do it justice. But not to complain, every little bit helps to get the magic spreadsheet back in the black and I am sure MM can cope with the extra 100kg's. A special special note should be made of the amount of toilet paper that was in the care package. Honestly (and not to put to fine a point on it) if all four of them had contracted dysentery they would not have used all the toilet paper they gave us.

Given the flurry of activity on the employment scene I thought it prudent to solicit a personal reference from our WB's. Ever the thoughtful person, I decided that since they were on holiday I would help them, by writing (my) reference and just get them to sign it. I won't include the whole document here but I thought I had captured the “essence of Steve” quite well with such understated comments as “Steve is charming, witty and urbane and a delight to associate with. Despite his obvious intellectual capacity he has the ability to make normal people feel comfortable and at ease.”

While clearly touched by my effort they responded with a reference of their own, running to four pages. Again, an extract only:

“Stephen is a real doer. He does nothing if he can swing it.”

“His computer skills are outstanding, as is his knowledge of Royal Family weddings, fashions and paparazzi photographs.”

Step 85 Edith Falls – Wangi Falls (Litchfield National Park) – 298 km's

Monday 4^th July – Happy Birthday (again) America

After the refreshing swim and Di's seal/sniff of approval we set off Northwards in MM.

Morning tea today was at Pine Creek, doesn't look much on the map but it was notable by the (literally) hundred caravans parked around what is quite a small town. Closer inspection of the map reveals that Pine Creek is at the junction of the main Stuart Highway and the road into / out of Kakadu. Looks like everyone stocks up here either side of their Kakadu adventures.

Underneath this water is an abandoned gold mine
135 metres below this water
That's a deep pond

With nearly 300 km's to do today it's two pit stop strategy (that's a gratuitous motor racing reference for those of you following at home). So lunch was in a little park just by the Adelaide River, which coincidentally (or not) is the name of the little town the park is in. Not much to report here, but fear not the day gets more interesting if you read on.

Arrived into Litchfield National Park and the Wangi Falls camping area at what we thought was a reasonable time, but after two laps of the camping area we squeezed into the only available area. It was right next to what looked like an abandoned car but still gave us room to set-up. After 8 series of NCIS Di was able to use her newly acquired detective skills and worked out that the permit on the windscreen indicated that the car was supposed to have left the park two days before. Mmmm. Wonder what the crocodile situation is around here?

Just when we thought we had done well find a spot a young German couple (who didn't know the Aldi brothers) managed to find a spot to pitch their tent, in the trees behind MM in the photo above.

Again this National Park campsite amazes, and delights. $6.60 per person per night, flushing toilets and hot water showers. Unfortunately we have to deduct stars because the pool is closed – BECAUSE OF CROCODILES BEING IN IT. Mmm maybe that car isn't abandoned so much as the driver is just not coming back.

Now that's a proper waterfall

If the swimming hole was open this place would definitely rival Edith Falls. In fact the falls here are much more impressive. Amazingly, I was here in exactly this week of the year when I visited Mum and Dad. I'm pretty sure the pools was closed because of croc's that time as well.

Editors note: The actual year I was here has provoked hours of, circuitous, discussion with Di as we try and work it out. All I remember is while Di and Elke were eating out on the Champs Elysees in Paris I was sitting eating a take away curry perched on my lap, bought from a caravan at the Mindil market in Darwin.

Another beautiful day in paradise though, temperature in the 30's. In a slight Alexander (downer that is), there are a lot of flies and bugs about. Somewhere along the line they have taken a shine to (and quite a bit of blood out of) me. Ti tree oil to the rescue to ease the itching.

Anybody know what this is?
Anybody?
OK, no suspense this time: It's a bower bird nest. well bower actually.

Tuesday 5^th July

A touristy day today in the Litchfield National Park, before heading in to Darwin. Once we got started of course, because we were a bit late starting after another lay in this morning.

View from the window of MM this morning

The park is just chock full of waterfalls and rock pools so our first stop is Tolmer Falls. No direct access to the falls or pool below but a spectacular view from the lookout.

No access to the falls because they don't want people disturbing the bats. No problem for us, we don't want the bats disturbing us either.

Next stop the Buley Rockholes. A beautiful little swimming spot where the river cascades through a series of pools as it works it's way downhill. No photo's from here as Di didn't want me disturbing the young backpackers in bikinis.

Likewise no photo's from the next stop, Florence Falls. Another spectacular waterfall, dropping into a large pool. You could even swim behind the fall here, just like in the movies. I didn't quite make it across there so I can neither confirm nor deny that there is a secret cavern behind the water. But to be honest none of the people in the pool looked remotely Super hero/ super villain like.

The final stop in the Park was the amazing magnetic termite mounds. Each of the mounds has the thin side of the mound lined up on the North / South access. Apparently termites have the same strong beliefs as Di about having a North facing back garden.

this mound is something like 6 metres high
given a termite is only a couple of cms long
in human terms this an EXTREMELY tall building

Travelling out of the park through Batchelor we came across this Disney like castle, sitting in a park for no apparent reason.

A sign explained that the castle was built by an ex council gardener, Bernie Havlik, who for years had struggled with keeping the rocky outcrop, that the castle is built on, neat and tidy. When he retired he built this replica of a castle from his homeland in Czechoslovakia to make it easier for the gardeners that followed him. This is where Bernie and I differ somewhat. I would have: 

               a: Said good luck guys, but this bit is a bitch to mow

               b: Invested in a small amount of high explosives. Probably several years before retiring.

Sadly, Bernie is no longer with us, but good on you Bernie, it is a very impressive piece of work

Step 84 Manbulloo Station – Edith Falls via Katherine - 72 km's

Sunday 3^rd July

OK, we may have been wrong about how well we had adjusted to NT time. Di woke me at 8:40 from a very deep sleep.

Eventually got ourselves going and cruised the short distance into Katherine and headed for Woolies.

I continue to be fascinated by what these areas must be like in the wet season
The flood water markings on the bridge go up to 18 metres

First surprise for the day – traffic lights. I'm pretty sure the first since we left Perth over 3,000 km's ago. Predictably we caught them on red. All three times we went through the intersection. Some things never change. Luckily the lights did.

Second surprise for the day was seeing a family of mum, dad and two kids travelling through town on a motorcycle trike (towing a trailer). Someone told us later that they have appeared on Today Tonight or Getaway, they are travelling around Australia visiting all the “Big” things. They are probably on their way to the Big Crocodile at Wyndham. It's a long way to go with mum and the kids on the bench seat behind dad.

After our big shop some friendly locals even volunteered to take our shopping trolley back for us. I think they were just doing their civic duty and they weren't just after the two dollars deposit in the trolley.

After all that we still managed to arrive at Edith Falls by lunchtime. Edith Falls has been recommended by quite a few of our travel advisors so it was nice to find that it was as nice as they all said. Even nicer to find it was only $10 per person per night with all facilities except power (flushing toilets, hot water showers and swimming pool). Mind you the swimming pool is the freshwater pool at the base of the falls. The sign assured us there were no “salties” in there but advised not to swim between 7:00pm and 7:00am because that's when the “freshies” feed. Now there's a sign I'm going to pay attention to.

Being the brave little adventurers that we are we wandered down to the lower pool after lunch. Well after waiting an hour after eating of course.

Is this shot artistic or what?

This is definitely another little oasis that will hit the highlights package and in fact we will probably stop here again on our way back from Kakadu.

David Leary you will need to find yourself a quiet spot and sit down before reading this next bit.

Are you settled?

OK, while wandering around the park checking the place out, I started chatting with a German guy

and

he actually knew the Aldi brothers!

Yep, remembers them when they were just getting started. They were buying up old, disused cinemas in Germany and converting them into supermarkets. He reckons the first cinemas/stores they didn't even take the steps out, they just took out the seats and set up the shelves. He says they both had their whole extended families working in them, serving and re-stocking the shelves. He also reckons that even when they got successful he never saw them smile. Now that's disappointing after all the joy they have bought to so many of our extended family.

Editors note:

My favourite item from this week's Aldi online catalogue:

18V Ni-Cd Cordless Power Tool Set - $ 79 *

• 1 x 18V Cordless Drill: No Load Speed: 0-550rpm, forward and reverse function, Clutch: 16 torque settings, Max Torque: 10 Nm, Chuck: 0.8 - 10mm
• 1 x 18V Cordless Delta Sander: No load speed: 600rpm, sanding sheet size: 90mm
• 18V Cordless Jigsaw: No load speed: 2300rpm
• 1 x 18V Cordless Lamp: Twistable 0-90 degrees. 2 x 1300mAh batteries and 1 x 1 hour quick charger
• 2 interchangeable batteries included

Proof readers note: Drill, sander, Jigsaw and lamp. I don't want to be harsh but, you might be able to work the lamp, but even that you would have to work out how to put the battery in.

Monday 4^th July – Happy Birthday America

Ever the adventurer Steve leapt out of bed this morning and headed off on the walk to the top pool.

Editors note: Again, if something is described as “top” it's more likely to be uphill than down!

It doesn't look steep in the photo,
but my calves can vouch for the fact that it was

Worth the walk though, Di really enjoyed the pictures I showed her of the view.

After all that exercise Di suggested I should have a nice cooling swim before we set off in MM. Well actually I think she said something about “you smell” go and have a swim or a shower.

That's a big bath

Wish I had read this sign before the swim:
Management practise "reduces the risk of estuarine crocodiles"
What happened to "Management guarantees that there are NO crocodiles in this pool"

Step 83 Victoria River Manbulloo Station (just out of Katherine) 201 km's

Saturday 2^nd July

Just a bit of a transit day today really as we are going to do Katherine after we have been to Darwin and Kakadu. To be honest we were both still buzzing after the helicopter ride, that will definitely feature in the highlights package at the end of the trip.

In a brilliant bit of tour guide work Di found a little caravan park just outside of Katherine that came in under budget. It's on a bit of a cattle station, just off the main road. Finding a place to stay tonight also became a bit problematic because we were a bit confused by the notes Vicki had left for us in the Camps book and given her and Herb are off jetsetting at the moment our normal phone support was unavailable. Never mind, it doesn't hurt us to be self sufficient every now and then. Well it didn't this time anyway

Nietzsche said "He who moos best today will also moo last"

    Descartes said  "I moo; therefore I am"

    Sinatra sang   "Moo be moo be moo"

Given the slight change of plan, in not getting into Katherine itself, we were forced to eat “out of the cupboard” tonight. Not a bad thing as we are carrying about 200 kilo's of canned and packaged goods in the cupboard under the bed! So, for the first time in quite a few years, it was salmon patties for tea tonight. With salad and potatoes from our food parcel we picked up the other day at Timber Creek it was all very pleasant. The only downside being we were forced inside by bitey insects again.

Step 82 Lake Argyle – Victoria River 318 km's

Friday 1^st July – Saturday 2^nd July

A bit further to travel today and another couple of milestones to pass. Before morning tea time we have crossed the border from Western Australia into the Northern Territory. So that's all the mainland states visited. Except for the ACT which obviously is a territory not a state anyway.

Not long after we rejoined the main highway we came across a couple of tractors with cutters on the back, mowing the roadside verge. Behind them was a couple of hundred kilometres of cut grass. I can only imagine the conversation with their wives when they left home: “Just popping out to mow the nature strip darl. Be back in August.”

In momentous news today, after 8 months (7 in MM) and 15,000 kilometres we have fixed the rattle that has been driving me (more) insane since we left.

      Cost of the fix $0.

      Time to implement fix 5 seconds

      Resulting increase in Steve's well being – priceless.

The fix: put a hand towel under the glass top to the sink whilst travelling. D'oh

Stopped at Timber Creek for lunch in MM and a quick Telstra fix. For some reason the two service station, one general store town has phone and internet reception, that we haven't had for the last two days. Incidentally in a sign that petrol pricing is insane everywhere, the two petrol stations, which share the same driveway and have pumps 50 metres apart have a 10cent per litre difference in their prices.

Whilst there we also managed to get a food parcel from a family travelling the other way. Fear not, it was not because they thought we looked destitute ( I don't think it was anyway). It was because you can't take fresh fruit or vegetables into WA so they had to get rid of it before the border crossing. To be honest I wasn't as excited as if the rule was that you can't take chocolate or cakes into WA.

With the crossing of the border comes a time change and we are now only half an hour behind the Eastern states. Good for chatting with people there, less good for watching GP on tele and probably not so good for chatting to Elke. But wait, that's right she will be back in Melbourne THIS month. Wow, another year gone.

Stopping at the Victoria River Roadhouse overnight on a couple of recommendations, including a very big recommendation for the helicopter flights they do there. 

Valid reader question: "Oh no, is it too soon Steve, have you gotten over the bungled Bungles flight?"

To make us feel welcome and maybe to ease Steve's troubled mind (re the helicopter flight) the roadhouse put on a firework display tonight. Very pleasant, laying on the bed in MM watching the display. Yes I know you are supposed to go outside to watch fireworks but refer to our previous comments about our princess status. There were bugs and ooglie things flying about. We got a good view anyway.

Editors note: They didn't really put the fireworks on for us.

Proof readers note: No kidding Steve. Good job you owned up, people would have been wondering.

Editors note: OK, OK, it was Territory Day today.

Saturday 2^nd July

Steve up early for a short walk and to partake of a Kodak moment down by the river crossing.

In the wet season, I would have needed a very long snorkel to take this shot.

After the bungled Bungles flight we're going up in that ?
Where are the doors?
Oh there they are, hanging on the wall of that shed!

You will also be thrilled to learn that we are not complete woozes (not sure how you spell that). Anyway, we were also thrilled when we took the helicopter ride before hitting the road. OMG. It was fantastic. The helicopter was tiny and had NO front doors but the ride was just fabulous. We ended up being up in the air for about thirty minutes and got to fly over the Gregory National Park, the Coolibah cattle station, along the Victoria River and even INTO one of the gorges. It was truly sensational.

Incidentally the Coolibah Cattle Station is the setting for the recent TV show “Keeping up with the Jones's”. In fact they actually own the helicopter we went up in. 

Let's put this in perspective,
to get to see this painting
the pilot hovered just far enough away from the wall
so that the rotors did not hit it  

Another a bit of the flight that relied on the pilot knowing how wide the rotor blades are 

A low level run over the river
looking for croc's
and Steve's stomach

I can see MM down there, but where the Hell are we going to land?

In what seems to be a standard the pilot was barely out of school. Well maybe a bit out of school, he was a 22 year old Kiwi.

Di doesn't seem concerned though does she?