On the road again ! April 2011

 After 14 weeks in Darwin through their biggest wet season on record we finally managed to get back on the road again.
 Lynn had been itching to get on the road since we arrived but I knew we would be staying a while to see the twins arrival and watch them grow a bit. So it was rather sad when we had to leave them behind . However it wasn't so bad for me as I am going back to Darwin in July  and then going with them all to Adelaide. for 2 weeks.



 ready to go???

  The weather had settled a bit when we left so that afternoon showers were the norm, but they could be quite heavy. As we neared Pine Creek we ran into quite heavy rain from about 20klms out and it was still raining a bit when we set up in the same spot as when we "escaped  Carlos". However this time a few other vans etc came in to keep us company.  Some of them had come from the West so we checked on the road conditions with them as there had been a lot more rain recently in that direction.

 On the second night we were there we had a huge storm that lasted most of the night with lots of lightening and thunder  and 97mm of rain.
In the midst of this huge storm our loo failed so that the valve that allows for fresh water to flush after use became stuck in the open position and kept flushing so that the en suite was awash. I got up just after going to bed and hearing some water running, expected to find that we had sprung a leak due to the storm and got quite a surprise but not as bigger one as the next morning when I felt wet carpet in the kitchen area when I got out of bed and found the en suite awash again!!!. The only reason the water had stopped flowing was there was no water in the Caravan park due to a burst pipe outside the park.

 Consequently Lynn had to do some running repairs to prevent it happening again and we spent the morning getting everything dry. Luckily the rain had stopped after a brief shower just before daylight. We also took the opportunity to get a few loads of washing done .

 While we were at Pine Creek we registered our new Digital Satellite receiver system for the TV . With the new rules it needs to be registered in a place that does not receive Digital TV . There is no cost involved only the cost of the receiver.

 After 4 nights at Pine Creek we headed off to Katherine to stock up on a few groceries before going to King River Rest area to wait for friends who were coming from Alice Springs.

 While we were there we noticed lots of large black/brown butterflies which would occasionally land on us . There was also a number of other butterflies, blue ones and yellow ones .

 We had a bit more rain at King River but mainly  in the evening or at night. Our friends arrived on Sunday afternoon and we spent a pleasant evening catching up on each others news. However as Kerry had broken a tooth they needed to see a Dentist in Katherine before heading west. So they went to Katherine for a few days to get things sorted and see the sights while we just made a quick stop there to get a new satellite dish and a few other things. Our dish had blown over a few times and was no longer in true shape which was making it difficult to get a signal.

 Our next stop was Mathison rest area about 100klms west of Katherine. We were on our own when we set up and thought it would stay that way but a couple of other travellers came in after dark and then left very early. The weather had really started to change as we had a much cooler night and it was quite crisp in the morning . We were beginning to feel that the "dry season had arrived.

 Judging by the condition of the roads the "dry " can't come soon enough so that the road crews can fix all the pot holes .  Some of the pot holes are real tank traps; we saw crews mending the roads but wiht it still raining wondered how long their efforts would last. We also came across plenty of water over the road signs but the water had mostly gone. There was just a few places further west.




 Sunset at Mathison Rest area

Kerry and Mike caught up with us again at Mathison and stayed the night before we both headed west. Yes the Biz wizards and the NT Nomads are travelling together . So for those that follow our blogs you will find that there is probably a bit of a double up on the information and pictures. 
The next morning we felt like we  were truly on the road as we headed off to Victoria River Roadhouse which as to be our morning tea stop. On the way we ducked into Sullivan's Creek  but as Kerry and Mike were having radio problems we were unable to alert them to this little gem of a waterhole.

 Sullivan's Creek waterhole at Campground

 The campground was quite wet and boggy but drying out after the rain and flooding. We caught up with the others at Vic River and the first thing Lynn did was fix their radio so we had better communication between us. It was wonderful to see the red bluffs,bastions and mesas that are in this area . They are not only picturesque but we just love their raw beauty and their colours. 

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 Morning tea stop at Victoria River Roadhouse

 The red cliffs of the north