We are on holiday!

Saturday 16th July

We woke after what has definitely been the coldest night so far – our water bottles were frozen in the morning! Richie cooked crepes for breakfast, and served them on a little nearby hill so we could sit in the sun – a beautiful way to spend the morning after a stressful and disappointing arrival last night!

We decided we should try climbing up a nearby rocky outcrop after breakfast, and so set off after cleaning up. The walk was beautiful – a bit of hopping about through patches of Spinifex, and a lot of climbing, but pretty good considering we were bush bashing. And of course the peak was further away than I thought, but we got there! We had morning tea in the shade of the outcrop and admired the view, before the careful climb down – which I pretty well did on all fours, while Richie strutted down with Otis on his shoulders like a mountain goat! Bonnie did a champion job, and walked the whole thing herself enthusiastically – which is positive for future walking efforts! We need to condition them for overnight hikes!

We were pretty hot and tired after that – the coldest night turned into the warmest day! We had lunch and lazed about camp for a few hours, reading and drawing with the kids. Some neighbours arrived in the next spot – the first people we had seen there. Bonnie and I went over to meet them and learnt that they were there for exactly the same reason as us! Apparently the NT parks booking system is only a couple of months in, and not compatible with mobile phones 🙄 As frustrating as that is, I was so relieved to hear that it wasn’t completely my mistake! We also learnt that the mice are native – some sort of little desert mouse. Which makes them cute, instead of a nuisance. Though they are very friendly – I picked one up without any troubles!

Despite the disappointment on arrival – and there is no doubt we are at the worst campsite in an otherwise stunning park – it was a really lovely, relaxing day. The site is bordered by 2 dry creek beds, so I went for a walk along those while Richie and the kids played with Otis’ car. It’s been interesting to see just how much rain has been through – the amount of material that has been pushed off the roads at creek crossings, the high water marks and the amount of erosion along the creeks. It must have been astonishing to see!

We got a fire going and cooked potatoes and steak on the fire, and were joined by our neighbours. A lovely semi-retired couple – one a teacher, the other a water watch coordinator, on a 10 month trip – the same route as us at a much more relaxed pace! It was also refreshing to see another couple travelling with a tent – we have been surrounded by caravans everywhere we go! A lovely night, before climbing into the tent to try to escape the cold!