Sunday 29 July – Today has been a really easy day.  We left Daly Waters at about 9.10 this morning and were here at the Mataranka Homestead Caravan Park by about 11.30.  It was a beautiful sunny day – I believe the top temperature expected was 28 degrees, and I know we were fairly warm once we had finished setting up.

The trip was again uneventful, with the main topic of conversation being the increasing height of the termite mounds (still not huge though), the obvious greening of the countryside, and the greater amount of road kill today – which of course means more bird of prey sightings.  It’s amazing the things we do to while away time and to keep from nodding off.  I compile statistics.  And for your no doubt burning interest in my findings, I offer the following:  Todays tallies – Living creatures: 33 eagles, 6 hawks.  Freshly non-living creatures: 1 brahma, 4 rabbits, 1 lizard, 1 eagle, 5 wallabies and 4 unidentified carcases.

Once here at the park we paid at reception and were told we could park anywhere in the powered site section, so as we drove into the section and were slowly scanning the area to choose the site we wanted, my attention was caught by some movement to my left.  As I turned my head to see what it was – you guessed – it was our ‘thought we’d never see them again’ acquaintances, Bob and Irene waving frantically at us.  We are now set up next to them, but not too much of a problem as they are leaving tomorrow.

After a brief chat we said we needed to have a cuppa, which we did, and had a sit around outside the van for about an hour.  Then we decided to go to the hot springs for a dip, and of course there they were again.  The springs were just beautiful – 34 degrees, so just like a nice warm bath, and I guess we stayed in the water for well over an hour, chatting to all and sundry.  We eventually got out all wrinkly, and while we were drying off a bit I started talking to another couple who were just sitting watching everybody.

 

Now as we all know, one thing leads to another, with the outcome of this conversation being that they both were from Beechworth originally and knew the Jessups and the Gladstones (Mum’s family), with the fellow Graham Spencer having a cousin who married a Gladstone!  He’s promised to say hello to Ray and Thelma and Norm for me.

Back at the van we sat around for a bit, I did some washing, and now we have just finished tea – yummy stir fry we made.  Grant is looking at throwing the line into the Roper River just a short walk past the thermal pool tomorrow, as we believe that there are barramundi in it, and a couple have been caught in the last week.

So tomorrow is a take-it-easy day, sleep in, maybe visit Elsey Homestead (where we are staying is the setting for the book We Of The Never Never), and cemetery, have another warm dip and maybe cook a barra for tea.