Sun 4 Aug 2013 – Devils Marbles to Mataranka hot springs and Roper River

We are very proud of ourselves as we managed to leave the camping ground by 8am!  Made a special effort as we wanted to reach Mataranka, 600klms away.

Passed the town of Daley Waters with an old pub and other WWII relics.

Long day’s travel but with a speed limit of 130k/hr we reached our destination by 4pm of the Elsey National Park so rewarded ourselves with a swim in the Roper river.  They say it’s safe from salt water crocs but just in case they have baits of pigs heads and traps on both ends of the river.  Met Ian and Helen in the river who said they saw a 5 metre one further down the river when they went for a bike ride earlier this morning.

All along our route were thousands of termite mounds (like a cemetery), some of the larger ones have been dressed up in funny clothes – hats, bras. Tshirts etc..

During the 600klms the climate zone changed from warm says and freezing nights to hot days and warm nights – so we have reorganised our wardrobe putting away the trakies and out with the shorts.  We are started phase 2 of our holiday now.

At Mataranka there are now palm trees amongst the red river gums near the river banks.

Nice bbq and our neighbours (Linda and Mike) invited us to share their campfire and we swapped stories and drank cups of tea and it was pleasant to sit outside in shorts until 9pm.   Lovely guitar playing by our other neighbour Ian.