The Count around Australia, travelling in a Morris Minor.: 8 July 2014

Tuesday 8 July 2014

8 July 2014

Today started late, for two reasons really, one is that I wanted to be able to phone around places this morning to find a camping site at a van park as everything, other than hotels starting at $370 - $1750 a night, was showing booked out everywhere in Darwin, so I needed to phone around at a respectable hour to find something. I finally found somewhere at the "closest" park to the city (of course no where does it say that it is a stones throw from the airport) and the patch of ground I have is literally the last one here and it is as dry and hard as, I bent most of the pegs trying to put the tent up, there is nothing even resembling grass, just dry dusty dirt, but at least I have somewhere.

The second reason for the delay was that the Count has just had something go wrong, the first and only thing to go wrong to date, in just under 10000 kilometres, this morning I had to get the spare out, swap wheels and get the road wheel puncture repaired (well they actually just replaced the inner tube). How good is that in all that distance the only problem has been one puncture, really have to be happy about that I think.

Anyway since it was a late departure I decided that I may as well just drive straight through and not turn off to go and see any of the "mini towns" along the way, really lets face it they are just fuel stops anyway so it wasn't missing much at all. The first real town I stopped at was Adelaide River which is only a small place but it is very well kept and a real green little oasis, it is well serviced for such a small place too, with police, fire and three service stations (how come they all have so many service stations)

Main street of Adelaide River

Then further along I decided to take one of the turnoffs along the way as I have previously been told Batchelor is well worth a look and it is the "gateway" to the Litchfield National Park. Well it sure is a nice little place, but wow they really must spend some time and money maintaining the place and the gardens in the centre of town. It really is a very well kept town and no wonder it is a former winner of the "Tidy Towns" award.

This is the Town Centre of Batchelor, well according to the sign

What do you notice that is unusual about this place (and a lot of others up here)?

Yep the power poles are metal, to stop the white ants devouring them

The gardens across the street here are very well maintained and extensive

From here it wasn't all that far to get into Darwin, to be honest it seems like you are driving into Darwin for 50 kilometers of more. I stopped on the way in to fine the van park I am staying at and to set the tent up, then it was on into town, nearly rear ended by two women who obviously think the car looks like a Ferrari and another that refused to let the Count merge into "her" lane, yes who would have thought that is what indicators are for. I managed to find my way to the Esplanade and went for a quick walk around town before having to find my way back to the van park.