The last few weeks have seen the weather really heat up. It seems as though we went from putting on track suits at night to sleeping with the fan on in one day and things haven’t looked back since.
We hit Katherine and contacted the local schools only to find that we needed a “Relief Teacher Card” as well as NT Teacher Registration. This meant more form completion and seeking copies of qualifications etc. Christine found this easier than me because hers are more recent so in the end we got a card for her to work and I am reduced to her volunteer lacky. The plus side of this is that schools can’t talk both of us into working.
Our time in Katherine consisted of working, lazing around in the hot springs and a breakfast cruise on the gorge (Nitmuluk). Unfortunately, this was just before the hot weather arrived and we were absulutely frozen for much of the cruise. The scenery was certainly spectacular and the guide entertained all with his well-rehearsed commentary.
With the hot weather really lifting water temperatures, we got hopeful and tried a couple of times to fish on the Katherine River in the little boat. Nothing doing however. So we made plans to head North up to Daly River. Unfortunately, we both came down with a really nasty flu. By the time we arrived at the Daly, we just wanted to curl up and sleep but it was too hot. Somehow, we packed again and drove up through Litchfield National Park across a tiny track. In other times, it would have been a wonderful adventure but all we wanted was the shortest route through to Berry Springs and an air-conditioned cabin at Tumbling Waters. We hired a neat little cabin for a couple of days and lazed around in the cool until we felt well enough to venture out.
The schools around Berry Springs seem to be quite well off for relief teachers so we haven’t been picking up work, although we are booked for a day at Humpty Doo tomorrow. We have done some more fishing, with mixed success. We even went on a charter on Darwin Harbour but that was also pretty poor. Our best effort just got us tea with a small golden snapper, a small jewfish and a javelin fish. Catching fish up here is not as easy as the books make out. Most days, we find ways of avoiding the heat of the middle of the day. Yesterday, we spent the day at Berry Springs with a BBQ, lots of swimming in the crystal clear warm waters and snorkelling with some wonderful fish life. I guess we can’t complain.
Derek and Joy will arrive in a couple of days and we will start a week of “tourist adventures”. We can’t wait.