to Darwin and back: 21/07-23/07

Sat, 21/07/07
M. plays chess in the city,
buy mp3 transmitter for the car radio,
K. buys the new Harry Potter,
book canoeing in Katherine Gorge
-> Palmerston Petrol Station 4900 km, 1.24$/l
-> Litchfield National Park 5077 km
->Florence Falls,
nice swimming holes but a little overcrowded

-> Wangi Falls 5110 km,
nice swimming,
two falls, one of them with a warmer whirlpool,
locked ourselves out of the car,
found thief from Melbourne who helps us to break in with a coat hanger,
people here are exceptionally friendly,
M. finishes B. Clinton's biography 'My Life' and starts Harry Potter, K. not amused
-> Tollmer Falls 5120 km,
no swimming because of protected bats,
magnificent landscape

-> Hayers Creek 5281 km, 1.50$/l
-> 5293 km: puncture!,
K. freaks out,
M. cool and rational,
1st: searches for the torch,
2nd: figures out how the car lifter works
3rd: replaces wheel,
problem fixed in 30 minutes
-> Katherine 5430 km, 1.32$/l
-> Wild Camping III 5456 km (close to Katherine Gorge)

Sun, 22/07/07
-> Katherine Gorge 6461 km,
canoeing possible this time because of the pre booking,
absolutely fantastic,
one of the best parts of the journey!,
great misfortune: lost the car keys somewhere along the river!,
but: keys are found by an older couple, kindest people alive!,
such a relief, tried already to hotwire it...,
takes almost the whole day to get going again,
now only a spare wheel is missing to feel safe again

-> Katherine 5520 km, 1.32$/l,
--> kangaroos all over the place, have to stop
-> Mataranka 5634 km,

showers but no kitchen,
K. feeds peacocks with bananas,
try to attack but escape was possible,
meet couple from the Gold Coast,
explain to us that these non-communicative older Australian travellers who go to bed at 8 are called 'Grey Nomads'

Mon, 23/07/07
-> Bitter Springs 5655 km,
-> Mataranka 5660 km, 1.41$/l
-> lunch nearby Elliot 5957 km,
M. mistaken for an Israeli,
meet guy with the same car (Ford Laser GL) who advices us to repair the spare wheel in Elliot
-> Elliot 5980km, 1.50$/l,
repair the spare wheel, safe again!
-> Tennant Creek 6242 km, 1.47$/l
-> Devil's Marbles 6351 km,

use camping area,
looks much better at daylight
--> lose the back number plate of the car, the car falls apart and 2000 km to go...