Day 12-08-11 Katherine Gorge

 

The women had to drive for 45 km on the dirt road this morning.  Tony felt that we needed a bit of experience in case something happened to our men.  We had several small water crossings, dips and rough road.

It was a valuable experience but I didn’t really enjoy it.  I’d much rather be a passenger.

Norbert and Jill get a puncture – on the bitumen!  The tyres have been cut about on the rough roads.

Stopped at the Victoria road house for fuel and a break.  They are doing helicopter rides!  $95 for 12 mins and $155 for 20 mins.  Tony and Greg do a deal with the pilot and we can have 20 mins for $130.

Tony, Greg and Dean take the first flight up (3 at a time), Jennifer, Michael and I go next followed by Jill, Norbert and Peter C.  Fantastic country, there are photos but they don’t do it justice. Unfortunately there are feral animals in this park – they killed 34000 donkeys last year.

As we approached Katherine Peter D and Susan  came across an elderly couple in a caravan that had broken down.  Of course they stopped, the woman was in a very stressed state. They had blown a tyre and had peculiar nuts on the wheels, no one had a tool to help and apparently the tool box had been ripped off it’s moorings when the tyre blew.  Peter walked quite a way back down the road with the guy in an attempt  find it   Peter D has been a marvel on this trip, helped with every flat tyre and all electrical problems.  So great to have such wonderful people.

Onto Katherine where we suddenly had phone reception – calls from Rhoda and our son (husband) to 3 or 4 people asking us to tell Tony to ring her.  Oh dear!  Not too bad after all, a possum has got into their house and created havoc, curtains down, carpets messed on, soot and cinders everywhere. a Rhoda is handling it with great efficiency.

Michael and I get a kit to repair our tent pole and get no help from the ARB guy with,our winch controller (gives us a couple of washers.  Ha!  Can’t remember if I said that it was hanging by it’s cables.

Arrive at Katherine Gorge Camping ground. This is an upmarket camping ground.  SHOWERS!  Swimming pool (really nice – small waterfall, rocks, plants lovely).  We can have a bistro style dinner & wine/beer around the pool between 6.00  8.00pm – so of course we all did.  I think that most of us had Barramundi