Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk)

Time to return to the Minor setback count as we woke to several this morning.

Car fridge now not functioning properly. Temp 17 degrees when left to it's own devices overnight.

Tent leaks. Not much granted. But enough to deflate my growing respect for the thing that gave my family shelter through 12 hours of hurricane at Devil's Marbles. I now see it was this wind that tore small holes around the anchor points of the tent.

Morale is at a bit of a low point. Some of the troops are a bit homesick. Some (who do not even like war movies) find their inner self talk coming up with quotes like "I love the smell of extra strong DEET in the morning.." Maybe because we are waging a war on mosquitos, especially as some of us are claiming to be "allergic" to their bites.

On the upside, we have been 'forced' to
stay at Yellow Waters fancy hotel... With 2 pools, fridge, leak proof walls, air conditioning and special off-season rates.

The kids have worked some things out..

W: "When you die you can actually turn into a zombie or a ghost.."
H: "yeah, I know"
W: " but only if you die on Halloween"
H: "ohh"
W: " yeah, but I don't know because I haven't experienced it yet.."

Also.. When asked as we drive into Kakadu "do you know where we are?"
Kids: "I have absolutely no idea. The middle-of-nowhere again! But a different middle-of-nowhere. A cousin of the middle-of-nowhere called the side-of-nowhere!"
"This one has trees, and I reckon we're closer to an ice cream shop this time!"

Further revelations.. "I am not pegging the tent up at South Alligator River! Or any other Alligator river.. Will doesn't want to go to another gorge, dad! He wants to go to a Reception with an Ice cream refrigerator.. Or a petrol station. Dad!"

On discussing our current distance from Melbourne, Hamish ( spokesperson for Will) exclaims, "OK then, let's drive for four days straight!"

What??!!

We are how far from Melbourne?!?! How did this happen? Oh, there's ice cream? Fine then...
This was Daly Waters Pub.

Catching a Barramundi by hand ....

The boys loved Bitter Springs at Mataranka and the life jackets got another work out. At Bitter Springs we floated for 100m or so down the spring fed, pandanus fringed river. Magic.

Tooth #4

Another tooth out (bottom right). This one at Bitter Springs, Mataranka. Curiously this was noticed after lunch and we can't find the tooth ...