Aus Day 23 - Katherine and the Internet

Tuesday 12th October Aus Day 23


Rose at 07.30, shower, breakfast, completed draft of Blog for Monday then prepared for moving. Refuelled and hit the road by 09.20. At 53 kms up the road I pulled in to the Alexander Forrest Commemorative Cairn. Who, you might well ask, was Alexander Forrest? Well, those interested can follow the link but the cairn was erected by the Royal W.A. Historical Society and Katherine Historical to commemorate the fact that Alexander Forrest and his party had reached the Overland Telegraph near this point on the night of 31st August 1879 after making an epic journey from De Grey on the W.A. Coast. As it happens, the cairn looks to be falling into disrepair.

Sign to Alexander Forrest Commemorativel Cairn

They are very strong on the WWII Historical sites in the Northern Territory with all of the airfield sites duly signed, as in this example:

Sign to the WWII Gorrie Airfield on the Stuart Highway

Some of you will recognise that I have a passing interest in things of a railway nature and consequently you may understand why I stopped to take this photo as I entered Mataranka However, the Never-Never Line was the name given to the Northern Section of the railway which now runs from Adelaide to Darwin but was only completed in 2004.

Arrival at Mataranka

Stopped for a quick spot of lunch at 12.25 and was on my way again by 12.45. I knew that this was going to be a short leg and I rolled into Katherine at about 13.30 and my first port of call was the Telstra office to make enquiries about the Australian Mobile Internet “Next G.” This requires a USB connector with a Pre-Paid; SIM card installed which will then connects to the Internet where-ever there is a Telstra mast and are reputed to work throughout Australia. Well I thought, it is worth the risk at $89 since it comes with 2 GB of data pre-loaded. Assuming it installs and operates correctly, it will pay for itself in saved Internet connection fees in a very short space of time. Fingers crossed.

Called into Woolworths, (yes they still have them and they still call them “Woolies”) for provisions then hightailed it to the Caravan Park. I was allocated a nice shady spot but, it was so hot and humid that I was just dripping with perspiration (sweat).

However, set to and installed my new acquisition without any problems and was soon up and running. Just to test it out I spent some time updating the Blog entries for 20th, 21st an 22nd, all without issue. However, to cap it all, I re-established Skype contact with the lovely Eileen and that really made my day.

Being so hot and sticky, I thought that a dip in the pool might cool me down a little and so dutifully, showered and threw myself into the pool. Felt great immediately afterwards but was soon sweating up again, although I felt revived enough to rustle up a salad tea, which I ate, Al Fresco. (Getting to be a habit).

I was also doing some more work on the laptop and it was rapidly approaching the time when I could hardly see the keys and the insects were arriving, attracted by the light from the screen. So, as hot and humid as it was, I retreated to the interior of the van to complete my work. I had earlier thought of taking a dip in the Thermal Pools, just outside the caravan park but the notice about crocodiles put me off and in any case, I didn’t want to be any warmer than I already was.

Before long that chap Zebedee turned up and put me to bed for the night. However, it rained quite heavily again during the night and I was greeted with the following scene when I arose.

Water, Water, Everywhere