MORE THAN A COUPLE OF DAYS IN KATHERINE

Ok - once again a short delay in our wanderings - the nasty little bug that got into my ankle surgery would not die!!  Like I said in the last blog the staff at Katherine Hospital are all great I really got to know them well.  I made them a visit every day for the last week twice a day for the last three days.  I have been having antibiotics through an IV.  Finished now just taking some tablets, so we can move again.

I have become a bit of a celebrity at the caravan park -  I head to the showers with a plastic bag over my hand and a bandage on my foot so they notice me.  Then as I have had to sit with my foot up most of the time everybody drops by for a visit and a chat and all want to know the details.

The worst part is that there are these fabulous hot springs only about 500m down the road and I cant go in.  The doctor just laughed at me when I mentioned the word swimming in 25 degree with whole bunch of other people who I know nothing about.

We went out to the Nitmiluk National Park which is where the Katherine Gorges are.  Sorry no fabulous pictures of the Gorges as I could not chance getting wet and there was also a bit of a rough track to get between them and as I was being naughty just having my foot down I didn't think I should push my luck with a boat  trip.

Which leads me nicely to the next part of our journey - we have decided to head west from here and not go up to Darwin.  I am still not swimming and don't think I will be for a week or so yet and one of the main reasons is to head north is to spend some time at Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks and maybe go over to the Tiwi Islands - where there is a lot of swimming to do.  Jim and I have talked about it and we would have to put Sammie in a kennel for a few days to go to the parks and with no swimming for me it just dosen't add up.  We have decided to come back another time, leave Sammie at home and really give these great parks the time they deserve.  

So we are heading west to Kunnanarra tomorrow Sunday.

Not many photos as we have not been very far from the park.


Some wall art - at least we didn't have to worry about crocidiles when we flooded in 2011.

Ment to post this earlier - my best photo yet of a road train. 

Have a close look at this photo - there is a big  branch just hanging in there, we are not sure what is holding it.  

Jim  on his way in to have a swim in the Katherine River - no croc signs so we figured it would be ok.  

WE MADE - MT ISA IS WELL BEHIND US NOW

I am not sure who was the happier the mechanic or us - the part arrived the engine got put back together and we packed ourselves up and headed west.

Our first night away from Mt Isa was at Camooweal about 180k to the west just inside the border with the NT.  Jim was running in the engine by changing speeds and revs, but by the end of the day he was pretty happy the way it was all going.  Water and oil use was minimal.

Set up camp at a free camp about a km out of town then back in for a couple of cold beers at the Camooweal Pub.  In case you wonder about Sam we parked the car right outside the pub and sat near the door so he could see and we could see him, he seemed happy with that arrangement.

Beautiful clear night very little moon so we got to see the milky way - very special something everyone should see.

Next morning we crossed the border into the NT, big long flat road that just kept going.  Past Barkly Homestead which is not a homestead it is a service station and caravan park and onto The Three Ways.  This is where you turn left to go south to Alice Springs or right to go to Darwin or whatever takes your fancy in between.  We turned right another night at a free camp on the Stuart Highway and then into Katherine. Which is about 1000km from the border with next to no towns between really.

Good town - I have spent a bit of time at the hospital.  I got an infection in my foot where I had my surgery.  The climate the dust and the flies all add up to some nasties here. Jim was a bit concerned back in Mt Isa and I went to see a doctor there but he told me there was nothing to worry about.   The staff at Katherine hospital have been great and have been pumping the antibiotics into me.  All should be good in a day or two.

Katherine is another one of those decision places - from here you head west to Kununurra which puts you in WA or north to Darwin. We are heading north, tell you all about it next blog.


We were very glad to see this sign with Mt Isa behind us.

Camped by a billobong - the Georgina River at Camooweal

Watch out NT here we come.

Long straight roads - flat as a pancake all 360 degrees of it

There are a few people we know who would be excited by this sign.

Picked up a bottle of wine at one of the roadhouses - bottled especially for the Grey Nomads.

TWO LONG WEEKS IN MT ISA

Yes! Two weeks now. Whether you believe in the odds or the Gods we have been dealt a bad hand or are being well and truly tested.   This is the end of 14 days in Mt Isa and we may not get away tomorrow.  Last weeks post brings us up to last Sunday the 3rd of May so here is the next week.  Keep in mind while I describe what is going on with the mechanic there are another 23 hours in the day - between us Jim and I have read 6 books - sat in the dog park with Sammie for around 14 hours - been food shopping everyday because it gives us something to do.  It is pretty dull.

Monday - ordered the replacement rings (remember they sent the wrong size last week)

Tuesday - nothing happens

Wednesday - new rings arrive - mechanic says all good you will have your bus back tonight.  We book out of the motel - Sammie very disappointed was really getting used sitting on the step each morning waiting for the cleaner and scaring her half to death when she turned our corner to our unit.

Wait Wednesday is not over yet - we are at the mechanics watch the apprentice take 4 big bottles of coolant from the workshop over to the bus - yeah that means the engine is back together.  But wait - there is a lot of jibber jabbering going on with the mechanics a bit of a rush back and forth to the workshop and finally one of them comes over and has a chat to Jim.  Jim mate we are not happy with the engine looks like the head needs machining.  That means it all has to come apart again and the top or head sent off to someone (in town luckily) to machine. Back to the motel for us.

Thursday - The engine comes apart again so the head can go off for machining.  Ok this we can deal with however in trying to get the head off the gasket has been ruined (you might guess what I am going to say next) yep the gasket has to come from Brisbane.  Gasket ordered Thursday with a promise from the company that it will be on overnight freight.

Friday - book out of the motel again.  Mechanic says once we get the gasket all is go.  Courier comes goes but no gasket!  Courier does not deliver on Saturdays - not good enough for me I push a bit and find out that you can go to the airport and pick deliveries up yourself.  We get a promise from the mechanic that if we get the gasket he will do the work on the weekend.   Ok we move into the bus for the night in the mechanics yard.

Saturday - go to airport at 10:00 check what came in last night - nothing!! Girls says another flight at 11:40 and she will call us.  Wait, Wait, Wait bad news it did not come on the 11:40 either.  Mechanic shrugs and says well I ordered it Thursday it should have been here.  We stay another night in the mechanics yard.  Sammie starting to feel like a junkyard dog,

Sunday - nothing to do but read and eat.  Woolies and Coles aren't open on Sunday so lucky I had got some supplies Saturday.

Here it is Sunday night - Jim is reading and I am writing.

Some photos for the week -

Engine with head off - difficult place to work in between to the two seats at the front of the bus.

Sammie the junkyard dog

Sammie has decided we are taking to long and got his own ute to get on the road. Check out the number plate.

ONE LONG WEEK IN MT ISA

Here we are one week in Mt Isa - all due respect to those who live here, but there is not much to do in this town! I think the best way to explain our week is very frustrating!!

Sunday - arrived Mt Isa found a caravan park

Monday - found a mechanic who came to the caravan park and checked out what our problem was and he and Jim made the decision on new pistons.  He was very cheery and showed lots of interest in fixing the bus.

Tuesday - Mechanic ordered parts - "yer mate we will get them airlifted here so we can get you on the road quick as possible"

Wednesday - Jim goes over to mechanic to check parts arrival - Yes they have arrived - Jim says you got them all? Yes we got them all! Ok says Jim I will go get the bus.

Lucky we have the tent and camping gear on board.  We brought it with the Suzuki in case we wanted to head somewhere the bus couldn't go for a night or two.  So we gather the stuff we think we will need out of the bus and set up camp.

They start work on the engine late Wednesday - removing head and sump.

Thursday - Jim goes over for a visit no-one working on the bus to busy with other stuff till late.  Then the sleeves wont come out - need C02 to shrink them but it is after 5 so cant get the C02.

Friday - not much happens till late afternoon and they finally get the old sleeves out and the new ones in.  We leave them to it thinking - yes this will get done today or first thing tomorrow morning.  5.30 the mechanics mate finds us in the caravan park and has some bad news for us - before you put the pistons in you have to put various rings on them in particular an oil ring (which is the thing that was really wrong in the first place but generally you replace the lot not just the rings) So the mechanics mate says the rings are the wrong size for the pistons.  Jim and I are both stunned - Jim asked if everything had arrived and they said yes but they actually had not checked the parts!  Who does this!!  Anyway it is too late Friday to ring the suppliers - and guess what they don't work on Saturdays!! Will have to wait till Monday to re-order.

Saturday - while we do have some camping gear we do not have a full compliment of gear so we are roughing it a bit and as I said earlier there is nothing to do in this town - nothing!!  we spend the day moving our chairs around a tree so that we are not sitting in the sun.  I am sick of having dirty feet from all the dust - and I have my surgery cut trying to heal with dust and flies not helping.

Sunday - I  admit it I am not as tough as I used to be - So we find a motel - for tonight and at least tommorrow night. Sammie very happy about a hotel room with air-conditioning - he really is a air-con sort of dog, he has a long trip ahead of him.

Monday - morning Jim goes over to check and parts are ordered.

The campsite - Jim gets bus envy of the bus next door.