West & North June - July 2016 : Day 21 to 23 - Monday 18 to Wednesday 20 July - Homing

Tired and ready for home, we made the decision to travel home as quickly as possible. This meant early starts and long days of driving to cover the trip as

• Monday - Darwin to Devils Marbles
• Tuesday - Devils Marbles to Cadney Park
• Wednesday - Cadney Park to Laura.

Of interest during the Northern Territory part of the trip were the "ant hills" (termite mounds) along the road that had been dressed for fun.

Also of interest was the movement of army convoys to the impending exercise (war game) in the Top End. We must have seen some hundreds of vehicles over the three days - both army vehicles and contract vehicles carrying army equipment and personnel.

On both nights of the trip we slept under a full moon.

Sunset and sunrise on Tuesday and Wednesday were a special delight.

 Evening camp at Cadney Park (above and below).

 Dawn on the road, about 30 kms NW of Glendambo.

Lake Hart (often mostly salt) had water in it and was giving special reflections.

A quick visit to the excellent Arid Lands Botanic Garden at Port Augusta for morning coffee and some arid lands plant buying.

The special welcome home was the cloud formation over the southern Flinders Ranges as we drove towards them. It has been a wonderful trip, but the feeling of the beauty of our own home place was quite overpowering.

West & North June - July 2016 : Day 20 - Sunday 17 July - Darwin

Our last day in Darwin before commencing the trip back home. No more motels planned, just two bush camps near the highway somewhere and three long days back to Laura. The record of the trip home will not be posted until after our arrival in Adelaide.

Today? A morning spent visiting the  Nightcliff Market then enjoying the beach out towards East Point, relaxing back at the caravan park, packing the car then tea with a few others at Veronica's and Stewart's.

Dawn in the caravan park.

 The growing Darwin skyline.

 Shipping and small boats.

People relaxing

An interesting war relic.

West & North June - July 2016 : Day 19 - Saturday 16 July - Darwin

Some time at one of our favourite beaches at the entrance to Rapid Creek, watching Veronica play hockey, then the 50th Birthday Party for Veronica and Stewart.

 

West & North June - July 2016 : Day 18 - Friday 15 July - Darwin

A rest day. Beth visited her favourite Darwin dress shop with Veronica and Emily, spending birthday money. Veronica was surprised that the proprietor recognised Beth. John at last got to drying out and repacking the tent from our wet camp in the Hammersleys.
We all went to the Darwin Wharf for our evening meal. The weather today and this evening has been perfect.

 

Passers by while we (and the fish) dined.

West & North June - July 2016 : Day 17 - Thursday 14 July - Katherine to Darwin

Only a half day trip over very familiar territory. There are some great diversions that we have previously visited - Pine Creek, Litchfield and more - but not this time. We wanted to meet Andrew and Jacquie at the Darwin Airport. We have taken over a fortnight to get here; they took less than four hours.

The norther railway link frequently runs parallel to and near the road.

 

The road is being continually improved with resurfacing and extensive passing lanes.

West & North June - July 2016 : Day 16 - Wednesday 13 July - Kununurra to Katherine

We traveled under a cool, cloudy sky with wind and a few spots of rain - not what we were expecting.
A diversion into Lake Argyle was rewarding.

 Pandanus by the access road.

Lake Argyle - a vast quantity of water (over 1,000 sq.km.), covering much sacred Aboriginal land and much underused - some faltering irrigation and about 1% electricity of the Snowy Mountain Scheme, but the second largest man-made lake in  Australia.

The dam.

 The hydro-electric turbines outlet.

The park below the dam.

Much of the trip was through more of those wonderful red rock hills interspersed with stretches of bushland plains.

Yet another lone cyclist and some road-side burning off, but too many caravans and mobile homes to count (Who isn't travelling around Australia at present?).

 

An accidental turnoff for refueling at Timber Creek led to "Hickeys Beach Picnic Area" - a delightful interlude in the journey. The right turnoff a few hundred metres on got us fuel.

West & North June - July 2016 : Day 15 - Tuesday 12 July - Kununurra

Something of a rest day after an early start to get the car to a local mechanic for some minor fixng.
Kununurra is an interesting place - tucked among red rocky outcrops, the artificial lake, services and tourism. OK for a couple of days, but we wouldn't choose to live here.

 

Tourist shops for indigenous art, Argyle diamonds, zebra stone and more.

A few public buildings, most notably the local court.

...  and an irrigation area that has not really lived up to expectations.