Katherine

 12/09/2011
  It is nearly 4 months since we landed in Australia and today we finally staggered over the W A border into Northern Territories. It was our intention to see as much as we could of North Western Australia in our 2WD vehicle and we reckon we have done just that, plus some we shouldn’t have. We will remember the Pilbara and the Kimberley especially.
  Once over the Border we immediately lost one and a half hours, the clocks going forward by that much and with a monster drive in front of us it made it a long day. The drive was also made more difficult having to battle with a strong, gusting wind, that we have been experiencing these last few days. It blew us about fairish.
  We travelled through some of  N T’s fantastic outback, incredible scenery for 500K’s to the large town of Katherine. This is a crossroads town for travellers going North/ South/East or West.
 The town is big enough for internet connection and at last I have found out what is happening in the Rugby World Cup.  

  13/09/2011
   Yesterdays long drive and the alteration of the clocks has put us out of kilter a bit. Not being woken by bright sunshine at 4 30 is a bonus, as we slept into 7 30 ( jet lagged she said!) We did today what we usually do when we hit a big town, trawl the news agents for International newspapers, fill up with cheap(er) diesel and shop for stuff not available in outback towns. We even tried to get the van serviced but all the garages (3) are fully booked with work for the next week or so. Obviously not enough mechanics to go around.
  Katherine has a huge Aborigine community, the majority of whom just seem to mooch about waiting for the Bottle-o to open, 2 15 here. No point trying to get them to fill the job vacancies whilst the Government keeps giving them money. Also a large police presence here, so if you can’t spanner, be a copper.

  The antinastybug screen fell down!! Bother!

14/09/2011
  Must be still jet lagged, slept in unto 8 o’clock again, eventually getting going later in the morning.
  It’s an hours drive to Edith Falls, which is out on the Darwin road, a beauty spot we have visited before. The falls cascade over rocks creating several waterfalls, each dropping into a swimming hole, difficult to get to and freezing cold water when you do!  We bush walked up the escarpment to the Upper Pool, as it’s called, took us about 45 minutes. Hard hot climbing, but well worth the effort with hardly anyone there. Just another couple of people who were just leaving when we arrived.  Swimming is easy once you are in, but it’s also easy to skin your knees or bump your feet on the rocks. Very refreshing, lunch in the van and then back to Katherine. Temperatures are soaring again now the wind has dropped that kept it down. Does this mean winter is over?
  The antinastybug screen fell down again!!