June 12
Had a silly day.
Started with a swim in the Katherine hot springs, which can be reached by a quick walk from the caravan park that overlooks the Katherine River. The spring runs into the river. Rather than hot the spring more like a bit warm. Nice enough, but not close to the fabulous Bitter Springs.
After a swim we rode into town for a coffee. One of the things Vero liked to do whenever possible was visit op shops so after our coffee we went in search. Turns out there are three of them in Katherine and we visited them all. Vero bought some dresses. Not sure what to put it down to, but Vero always manages to find something stylish in her size. I bought a left hander's baseball glove and baseball that were packaged together. At another shop I bought some sky blue with pink flowers board shorts. Fancy.
We also checked out what was on at the pictures. 'A million ways to die in the west' was on the following night. We decided to go.
Back to the caravan park and back down to the spring by myself. Vero had decided she preferred the park pool so Pierre joined her.
At 6:30 we made our way to the camp kitchen for the bbq that had been planned the previous night. Good spread. Vero and Pierre have a bunch of new friends who plan to visit them in La Rochelle next year.
June 13
I got up at 6:00 and John was almost packed and ready to go. No hurry. He quietly, without fuss goes about getting himself organised. Soon after 7:00 he was on his way along National Highway 1 to Western Australia.
Having seen ours close up, he is interested in getting himself a recumbent trike for his next adventure.
Breakfast then swim. Again by myself. Then into town for a coffee at the newly opened Finch Cafe, situated in what was previously the CWA rooms. They made a nice mocha.
From there to the BP for internet to try and sort out accommodation in Darwin.
Didn't take long to book into the Discovery Holiday Park in Winnellie; $48 a night for the three of us. Despite what everyone had been telling us it was cheaper than Katherine. The cheapness meant we would stay in Darwin for 4 days, arriving there on Wednesday, June 18.
Once that was sorted we went shopping for the next few days, which primarily meant shopping for our visit to Edith Falls.
Back to the park and another swim this time with Pierre.
That night it was off to the pictures. The movie was just the bit of nonsense we needed. Didn't need to understand much English to know what was going on. At movies end we looked for a taxi, couldn't find one so walked the 3 or 4 kms back to the park. The dire warnings of danger and trouble were unwarranted. There was hardly anyone out and about.
,,,go to day 36 - June 14