Mataranka to Darwin to Katherine

Well another great week on the road, amazing  how big this country is, it is just getting bigger all the time.  It was a bit sad to leave Mataranka Cabins and Camping Ground, had  a great time there,but we thought we would head to Katherine, but because it was a public holiday nothing was open so we pressed on to Darwin, or Coolalinga to be exact,  20 odd klms out of Darwin,   (dog friendly park),  lovely grassy, shady park, which was great because our stupid Air Conditioner in the van decided to break down, long story cut short $420.00 later we have a great air conditioner working, John and Bronwyn who we met at Mataranka are also here with us,  so they invited us to join them in their car for a bit of a mystery tour, so off we went 4 adults and 2 dogs, picnic lunch,  we decided to go to Mandorah with the belief we might be able to get a ferry  across to Darwin, but alas it was only a passenger ferry,   so we have to do the loop all the way back to Darwin,   took in a lot of sights of Darwin and surrounds, picnic lunch at 2pm at Fanny Bay, and then back to the Park for much needed drinkies.  Enjoyable day.   Thursday we had an R & R day and waited to the Air Conditioner Man  to come and fix us up.   I cooked a magnificent baked roast pork with great crackling (sorry you were'nt here to share it Tric)   couple of wines and another day done.  Friday we ventured back into Darwin had a walk around the CBD and checked out all the interesting touristy things.    I am completely blown away with how the Aborigines  just seem to sit wherever,  they just plonk down on the footpath,   in the middle of them, or entrances to buildings,  no rhymn nor rythme that I can figure out.     We left for Katherine on Saturday and once again caught up with John and Browyn who have kindly offerred to look after Dawson for us so we can go on a Gorge Tour of theNitmiluk Gorge (Katherine Gorge).    We went to the hot springs but it was really muddy from the floods, still a lot of people in them ,  in the top one a group of Locals with there beer, friendly, very happy you could say. As we walked back to the park another group had there camp fire going cooking fish and turtle they had caught in the River,,   the only thing is the dirty buggers leave all there mess behind, beer cans, plastic bags, (white mans mess you could say)   very dirty and disgusting around the lovely river.     We are just back from our breathtaking cruise,    it is everything and more that you have seen on TV  truly beautiful, and I fulfiby tlled an lifelong dream to swim under a huge waterfall in the Katherine Gorge,  Now to update some photos,  have no idea where we will be  next week.     One big adventure. Bye for now.