Catching up with friends

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Day 11 – Tuesday 10^th July - Mataranka to Katherine Gorge

After packing up we decided to check out the Rainbow Springs in Mataranka to see if they really are not quite as nice as the Bitter Springs. The pool was picturesque but not in the same league as the Bitter Springs. Anna and Luke checked out the water while Hazel and Mark went for a walk in the rainforest.

We had arranged to meet Lloyd from the Mataranka Roadhouse at the Katherine Country Club at lunch while waiting for the Nicholls family to arrive from El Questro. Burgers, battered snapper, steak sandwich. Naughty but nice!

Mid afternoon the Nichollses rolled into Katherine after a 7 hour drive. The 1½ hour time difference between WA and NT (WA is 1½ hours behind NT) scuppered their original timing but it was still a supremely good effort after having got up at 4am! We all needed to stock up on fresh food and fresh beer and wine so we had an expedition to the local Woolworths supermarket. Fully laden with supplies we set off from Katherine at 5pm and headed toward the Nitmiluk National Park – Katherine Gorge National Park – where we had planned to stay for the night.

In steamy early evening temperatures we set up camp and flopped in our chairs with cold beers and cider, swapping stories of the past 10 days – the Nicholls having travelled around 2000kms from Broome through the Kimberly on the Gibb River Road – and planning our adventures for the next few days.

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