Camooweal Qld to Mataranka NT

Banka Banka Homestead

A dead dog!!!  RIP Clarrie (only joking Charlie fixed him!!)

The station viewed from up the hill

Happy Hour at Banka Banka

Daly Waters Servo

Me outside the historic and quirky Daly Waters Pub

Another view of Daly Waters Pub with the traffic light permanently on red outside the pub

Charlie had to be inside the pub underneath all the bras of course!!!

Larrimah Pink Panther Pub - great pies!!!

At a free camp between Banka Banka and Mataranka

Well here we are again and its been a bit of an adventure for us.  My last blog was from Camooweal where we had picture perfect camping on the billabong - then one morning we were up in the township and someone who has been on the road for some time said to us "There's rain coming - you should think about moving - don't want to get stuck down there!!"  Well the sun was still shining so did we listen - NO - will we listen in future - YES!!!  We sat in our idyllic setting until about 3.30 pm when the clouds rolled over and it started raining.  We thought "oh s..t" so we packed up quick smart and were very lucky to get out.  Charlie had to put the car into 4-wheel drive and we were slipping and sliding with the caravan on the back and finally limped into the local caravan park, wet, muddy, cold and tired.

From there it went from bad to worse - nice big argument with me stomping off thinking I could do better reversing the caravan into the spot in the pouring rain but wouldn't dream of doing it!!!!  Great mud clots falling off the van and the car so Charlie got soaked trying to get it all off before it caked on.  Anyway survived that, decided I couldn't keep the silent treatment up just in case next time he decides to get out the car and leave me with the van ,had dinner and went to bed.

Next morning (as they say in the fairytale) we got up only to find that we had a puncture!!!  Could we get it fixed in Camooweal?  No!!  After waiting 3 hours for the only RACQ mechanic to come back from a call, Charlie decided to put the spare one on and get the puncture fixed in Tennant Creek.  So guess what, under the car he went again and got wet, cold and grumpy!!  Aah the caravanning life - so stress free!!!

After that we hurtled along the Barkley Highway and stayed in a free camp overnight where we met up with Di and Kev again and also Jan and Rick and after a few wines everything seemed to look better (that's drinking wine not me whining!!).  Next morning we went to Tennant Creek and got the tyre fixed, bought some more track pants for Charlie because gee its been cold in the mornings and afternoons and set off for Banka Banka Station. Stayed there for a couple of nights to recharge the batteries (human that is) where I could have nice  long hot showers without someone saying "wet yourself all over, turn the water off and soap yourself - don't leave the water running!!

From Banka Banka we carried on up the Stuart Highway and came across the iconic Daly Waters with its historic pub which was originally a supply point for drovers.  Its a great quirky pub with a "Reesephun "area and bras, knickers, money and all sorts of weird and wonderful things hanging around the place.  They have their famous beer and barra bbqs there but unfortunately we weren't staying.  We then went up the highway a bit to the Pink Panther Hotel at Larrimah where we had a  great pie in the pub with a beer which went down very well.  They also have a mini zoo there so saw Sneaky Sam the saltwater crocodile, snakes, etc.  After that as it was later in the afternoon we called into a free camp and stayed the night before heading off the next morning to stay for a few days at Mataranka - Land of the Never Never!!!

That will be another blog so for now its once again Adieu from The Wandering 2s.