DAY 51 09/06/16 - Timber Creek to Pussycat Flats, Pine Creek [390 km]

Michael

Dot is still waking on WA time, which is beating the dawn chorus and it is still quite dark until close to 7:00am Central Time, whereas daylight in the west circa 5:30am.

We are off around 8:00am, saying goodbye to Neil and Paula, as they head further west.

The initial part of today’s travels takes us through the interesting Victoria River Section…..repeating spectacular red rocky bluffs, valleys.

We have the compulsory cappuccino  and toilet stop at Victoria River, the former for Tony the latter for the rest of us.

Next stop after midday is Katherine for a fuel up of the car, as well as lunch for us all.  We have that at The Coffee Club.

When getting fuel, I got into a bit of a tangle and concerned that there was potential for the van to take the bowser with it on the way out.     Case of having to reverse and going between alternate bowsers to get out……a bit tricky.    Following this went out onto the highway to catch up with Tony and Jen……..only problem I turned left rather than right and was heading south towards Mataranka, rather than North to Darwin.     Tony has been unable to raise us on the CB as by this stage we are 6 km out of town, so he resorts to the telephone to contact us….just as well we still had coverage……..Embarrassingly I turned around and caught up with Tony some 15 minutes later on the other side of Katherine.

We decide to stop at Pine Creek and take-up Neil’s recommendation of staying at Pussycat Flats…..a racecourse and golf course complex.   Fifteen dollars for a non powered site and the complex has a bar along with reasonably priced main meals and sweets.

Tony in rushing to prepare Jen her evening tea, is not only setting off the smoke alarm in the van, but also absentmindedly taking  medication that he got out for Jen…….not sure what reaction it will have on him.

He cuts our after dinner chat short, as he is getting quite drowsy……so off to bed and has a fantastic night’s sleep though he looks and feels somewhat drugged next morning.

On the other hand both Dot and I have a terrible night’s sleep as we are dripping wet in bed from the van being so hot and no breeze.