{"id":421,"date":"2013-06-06T14:34:34","date_gmt":"2013-06-06T04:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mcglynn.id.au\/deblog\/wordpress\/?p=421"},"modified":"2013-06-06T14:34:34","modified_gmt":"2013-06-06T04:34:34","slug":"top-end-day-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mcglynn.id.au\/deblog\/top-end-day-18\/","title":{"rendered":"Top End Day 18"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>Day 13 \u2013 wandering around Alice Springs, stocking up supplies and washing. A short trip to Standley Chasm. $\"\"$ <\/a>Didn\u2019t know this was a private \u201cresort\u201d so cost a bit of a shock. Short walk to rather nice spot for a few photo opportunities. Hmm.
\n Back to slightly disappointing caravan park. Paid a lot \u2013 I thought \u2013 for not much quality. Maybe accommodation is that scarce in Alice.\n

Day 14 \u2013 next stop the Devil\u2019s Marbles. Stopped at rather grubby rest stop at Barrow Creek? but fantastic old telegraph station. Good information and nicely conserved. $\"\"$ <\/a> $\"\"$ <\/a><\/p>\n

Arrived at Devil\u2019s Marbles about two, so big decision to settle in or press on. Cath wins and while we set up camp with about 40 other grey nomads in vans, tents, camper vans and various other options, looking around made this a good win. Amazing, weird place. Many photos and many more at sunset. <\/p>\n

Incredibly windy night and thought we might loose it at one stage.<\/p>\n

Day 15 \u2013 leave Devil\u2019s Marbles and head off. Just past Tennent Creek stop for another restored telegraph station. Pretty cool. Then stopped somewhere for lunch, something Roadhouse. Not much there but did have a goat with to kids and some peacocks. Odd.<\/p>\n

Arrived at Daley Waters Pub for the promised unique experience. Certainly that. Ordered the Barra and Steak though price is now $28. A lot of characters, heaps of vans, happy hour and a couple of beers. Hot showers and free show with dinner, though jokes and stories seemed to still be in the 60\u2019s music not bad. Girls dressed up and I even put on a clean shirt for up market dinner \u2013 sort of.<\/p>\n

Day 16 \u2013 cruised up towards Katherine. Detoured into Mataranka springs for a bit of a break. Tried Roper River first but there were croc warning signs so headed to resort. Kiara and Cath enjoyed brief dip in hot springs while we had lunch. On to Katherine to briefly stock up then out to the national park to find a camp site. The reception mentioned the bats could be a bit noisy. <\/p>\n

Circled a bit to find a site without bats then settled in. So did the bats, and more bats. Got to be a worry. A very noisy night as they cam and went.<\/p>\n

Day 17 \u2013 more bats. Noise, crashing branches, smashing landscape. Briefly considered fleeing, but they eventually settled down, apart from the occasional crash of branches. Checked out the walks and canoe trip.<\/p>\n

Kiara and I drove down to the Cutta Cutta caves for a tour while Cath and Siobhan recouped around camp \u2013 and washed. Caves fascinating \u2013 warm, limestone. Came back to lounge by pool and make stockman\u2019s pie on a barbie. $\"\"$ <\/a><\/p>\n

Day 18 \u2013 did a short walk to cliff top above head of gorge and prepare ourselves for Friday\u2019s Canoe trip. <\/p>\n

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