A week in the Northern Territory……….

 Waking up at Camooweel was very peaceful as usual but we had no time to relax and linger today as we were wanting to get across the border as soon as possible.  We left straight after breakfast and about 20 mins later were at the border.  It was manned and we prepared to stop when asked to.  The lovely young lady took our details and checked our border passes and then sent us on our way.  We had finally left Qld and were in NT.  A relief but still a long way to go.

We continued on stopping at Barkly Homestead for lunch and then that night at a site we found on wiki camps about 30 km short of the Stuart Highway.  Another old communication tower but they make great sites to stay overnight.  And being on a hill meant we actually had a signal.

Another early morning and we were on the road again, this time a straight run down the never ending Stuart Highway.  We stopped at Tennant Creek and had a coffee at the Red Centre Cafe and then a few hours later stopped to make lunch along the way.  We stayed overnight at Prowse Gap Rest Area with 4 or 5 other vans but not as busy as we have seen in the past.  Since leaving Normanton the weather has changed and we now have slightly cooler days and very chilly nights.  

We left early the next morning and drove straight into Alice Springs where we found a home at Watersun Caravan Park.  We are staying for two nights as it’s time to wash and shop again.  A never ending cycle for the traveler.  During the afternoon we visited the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens before coming home to take care of the chores and relax in the shade.

The next day was to be a day of work but before we got started I found I was bleeding after a visit to the loo.  Not knowing if something had happened to the surgery site I thought it best if I go to emergency and check it out.  We really didn’t want another hospital visit but we also didn’t want to drive on again without knowing.  And so the day was spent in the emergency department of the Alice Springs Hospital.  They were very thorough and after an ultrasound and a CT it was determined that all was well and that I had a UTI.  I was given antibiotics and allowed to go home that night.  I must say that a Sunday in ED in Alice was a very enlightening experience.  The staff all deserve medals for coping with some of their interesting patients.  

Now I could relax a bit we had a leisurely morning the next day and went into town for a coffee.  Stumps was our cafe of choice and it was very nice.  We had a walk through the Mall and into the Plaza for a look around.  We found this interesting car there advertising the Red Centre Nats which were coming next week.  Back at home I chilled out in the shade while Bill took the car back into town to finally get the windscreen replaced.

The next morning it was back to town to shop for the next few days, had coffee, got fuel and had a walk around checking out some of the murals that had appeared since we were last there.  

Finally it was time to say goodbye to Alice Springs and we hope we can cross the SA border with no problems.  We have our permit and hope it is easy as the NT one was.  The checkpoint is not at the border but a couple of hundred km down the road at Marla.  We’ll have to wait and see.

until next time…….