This was the week that everyone’s health
returned to normal and we got back in to the swing of things. A few days in Alice Springs as it turned out
was just the tonic to get ready for our next push northward towards the top end
as it not only allowed the boys to fully recover but gave us the chance to
restock on some supplies and get a few bits and pieces sorted out.
We have had a little bit of trouble
charging our batteries in the trailer and as it turned out (thanks to a fellow
camper who knew far more about cars and stuff than this one (which would not be
difficult)…he was able to diagnose the problem and at least help us get to Alice
by bypassing the bit that doesn’t work…technical talk so my eyes glazed over)
the solenoid in the dual battery system had gone so a trip to ARB in Alice and
$210 later we are up and running again.
Now all we have to do is get the battery charger to work that is in the
trailer and after a morning on the phone back to the Complete Campsite we agree
to take it to an auto electrician in Darwin….so should be all good.
Anyway, enough of the boring stuff, in
between all this we did manage to spend a few hours at the National Road
Transport Museum with the boys jumping in and out of all the big trucks and old
cars…they had a ball. Lachie even bought
himself a toy truck with his souvenier money that the grandparents had all
given him. A walk out to Simpsons Gap, a
vista from Anzac Hill and our time at Alice was all but complete given the rest
of the time was spent washing and cleaning everything in a bid to rid any last
germs.
One thing we did notice though was that
Alex kept disappearing on his bike and where normally he would ride past
relatively often we were not seeing him once he had gone. I followed him and found him on he BMX track,
determined to conquer the jumps and corners so like the good parents we are we
naturally got on our bikes to help him get through the track…it was a blast and
we had so much fun…not sure we helped Alex at all but he did manage the whole
track easily by the time we left.
So north we travel to the Devils Marbles
with a vision of camping in front of them and seeing the sunset and sunrise
over them enjoying the serenity of another spectacular spot….along with a
couple of other camper trailers and 30 odd caravans as it turned out. On route we came across a guy frantically
waving us down on the side of the road.
With memories of Peter Valconia and Joanne Lees we were a little trepiditious
about stopping (this was coming up to the spot that that all happened) and so
we did what all good samaritans would do….sped past….until we saw their car
rolled in a ditch amongst the trees. So we
stopped and reversed and it turned out a couple of Irishmen had something break
in their car and it veered off the road.
We pulled in to the next roadhouse a few kms up the road and reported it
and the police were on their way. The
guys were ok but I think it will be another NT sculpture donated by an unlucky
motorist (and there have been a few) where the cost of recovery outweighs the
value of the vehicle so they have been left there as stark reminders of how big
and desolate and isolated this country is…and that is still on the sealed
Stuart Highway!
So back to the marbles and a spectacular
sunset we saw as we walked around and over the marbles and enjoyed the chats
with the other campers. The local dingo
also behaved by the way and happily prowled the carpark night and morning only
to be left hungry me thinks.
The wind blew up the morning of the marbles
(the devil might have done it) and we managed a rushed pack up with the tent
flapping around like crazy and headed to the oldest pub in the NT, Daly
Waters. Nothing else there but a bunch
of quirky stuff….the most remote traffic lights in the NT, a parking metre and
a front bar full of underwear donated by visitors from all over the world. We had dinner in the pub that night, beef and
barra off the BBQ and it was sensational.
Listened to the comedian that was the entertainment for a bit and then
figured the kids were a bit young for some of it so to bed we went in the grass
lot next door.
Next day was a drive to Mataranka, although
it nearly turned out to be a walk or a bike ride. I had worked out perfectly where to refuel
and Larimah it was to be, 100kms north of Daly Waters and 75kms south of
Mataranka. Now none of the maps and info
I had showed that the petrol station had burnt down and there was no fuel in
Larimah. As if on queue the petrol light
came on and we had no choice but to limp in to Mataranka and hope we made it,
counting down every km as one less that I would have to walk, hitch hike or
ride my bike complete with jerry can. We
made it thankfully and I put in 79.17litres of petrol in to my 80 litre
tank….that was close.
But in Mataranka we are, 2 and a half days
of swimming in 32 degree thermal springs, reading a book, having lunch, going
for another swim, reading a book and having dinner…until night 3 which was much
the same but then duly spoiled by watching the State of Origin and yet another
NSW loss. I for the last lot of years
have found myself all over the country watching origin and generally with
Queenslanders amongst the watchers. Here
I found myself in the Northern Territory safe from the usual ratbags that take
great delight in our recent tales of woe only to find that who should we watch
it with…another bunch of Queenslanders who happened to be camping just near
us…..gggrrrr.
Tomorrow we head to the Kakadu and then up
to Darwin, each part of the trip inching us closer to reaching this amazing
country’s most northern capital city.
No comments:
Post a Comment