The road traveled thus far 26-8-12

After a false alarm that had us delayed at the Katherine hospital for a day, and a trip back up to Darwin to get the windshield on the Fiat replaced, we headed back on Highway 1 pointing due south towards Tennant Creek.

I thought I'd seen the last of straight unrelenting roads for awhile but I was wrong. But unrelenting straight roads can still offer up some gems: Talking to our mad Collingwood supporting host at Mataranka, bemoaning the tyranny of distance in regards to lack of decent AFL coverage on the TV. "All you get up here" she says," is Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney games, maybe the odd Crows game but there is no joy in that either"; sucking on frozen mango that has been peeled for you was a real treat in the hot nights; Bitter Springs, how sweet it was to let the current drift you gently down the stream in the warm mineral waters; meeting a man with a troubled soul at the spring  who was trying to sort himself out, his story although sad was a real gem; the Daly Waters hotel, you could be forgiven if you thought you had walked into an Opp Shop; Chilli and his wife, talk  about true entrepreneurs out here in the back of beyond; paying $24.00 for a six pack of XXXX Gold at Elliot, well that was a gem I could do without; the Renner Springs Desert Hotel and Caravan Park, possibly the most rustic in Australia (Lyndhurst in SA would give it a good run for it's money); Tennant Creek where I'm lazily scribbling a few notes as we speak, in Jacksons Bar at the Tennant Creek Hotel, a real gem of a pub!

So while I'm champing at the bit for the smell of sea air and friendly waves along the East Coast, I'm mindful of more gems coming our way before we hit the Pacific.

Alana floating on by

Bitter Springs, how sweet it is.

the Daly Waters Hotel

Cold beer and easy conversation

                                                         Now what size bra was that?

                                                                         a lot to see in here

                                   Where Chilli hangs out when he is not performing at the pub

                                                                     Southwards     

                                         The Renner Springs Desert Motel and Caravan Park

                                                                     Pretty rustic Huh!

                                        Alana taking advantage of the magnificent facilities here!

                                                      Jacksons bar Tennant Creek 

                                        This hotel looked like it really pumped! in years gone by.

The Classy Shaft Night Club (which has long seen a customer)