Plan B 2.0 & Wine/Cheese Night

Day 6

Well because of all the rain the Tanami Track is still closed so it’s onto Plan C, although since we’ve got the Plan B t-shirts and stickers already made up I’ve decided to call it Plan B - 2.0 J

We decided to head further up the Stuart Highway towards Katherine, about a two day journey, and then head into Western Australia and the Bungles via Kununurra. The first leg of the drive was non-eventful and we pulled off the side of the road, near Attack Creek, after about 570km, to set up camp.

This was our first wine/cheese night a tradition that started on our previous Top End Trip. On the first night out from a major shop we’d pull up early, set up camp and then everyone would bring out some cheese, dip, crackers and other nibbles to share and their favourite drop to drink. Now most of us don’t drink wine so why we call it wine/cheese night I don’t know but some traditions must be upheld and we all get excited when it’s wine/cheese night.

As they go this one was relatively quiet and after a dinner of sausages and mashed potato we were all in bed fairly early, that is until someone (not mentioning any names Matty) exploded a tin of tomatoes in the fire – also a tradition from the previous trip. Unfortunately this was probably one of the best explosions we’ve had yet and it showered hot bits of tomato and cinders across the whole campsite. Needless to say we spent the next 20mins running around putting them all out and Matt spent an uncomfortable night watching the bushes for signs we’d missed any.

Day 7

It was a beautiful night – not very cold at all - and in the morning we broke out the ¾ pants and sandals. Still needed the warm jackets in the morning, but the weather was definitely warming up.

While we were driving yesterday we spoke to a lady on the CB yesterday and she said that the Katherine Show was on and that accommodation was really hard to find so we decided to give it a miss and head off-road instead (Plan B 3.0). We turned off the Stuart Highway just after filling up at Dunmarra, and headed down the Buchanan Highway towards Gregory NP and Keep River NP just shy of the WA Border.

We stopped for the night at Top Springs, about 470km away, where the Buchanan Highway crosses the Buntine Highway. Top Springs was a lovely place to stay – right in the middle of nowhere - and we found out that 6 of the 7 staff as well as the owners came from South Australia. There was one particular feature of the facilities at the campground that we found quite unique. Each of the two toilets was home to a frog – one was a giant grey/brown frog and the other a shiny green one. The only thing was you didn’t find that out until you flushed and saw a leg, or in one instance half the body, come out from under the rim then tuck back in again. Very funny!!!

Most of the boys spent some time working on their vehicles doing bits and pieces. Chris had to take the starter motor out and clean it up a bit, because twice during the day the Landy hadn’t started without giving it a good wack.

Terrayaki Chicken and rice for tea – apparently everyone’s favourite so far – then a shower and bed. No visitors in the shower thank goodness – the green kind I don’t mind it’s the eight legged variety I can’t stand.

Nice warm night so we left all the doors and windows open and just had the screens zipped up.