Put the tent down and got in the car to leave only to find the car battery was flat and I didn't have anything on draining power. There was no problem getting someone with a jump lead, but could we chance a weak battery on the 500 km of nothing to Katherine without mobile phone cover? I have road side assistance as it is a hire car - no problem get it sorted now, or so I thought. It is a long story but it took two and a half hours for the assistance people to get the membership number off the hire people before they could even think of helping me. I was pretty much piggy in the middle until I passed each others contact numbers and said sort it out. Help consisted of saying they would get me going with some jump leads but nothing else (despite the hire people saying overwise). Thanks but no thanks, turned the ignition and set off. Just in case my Mum is reading, the 4x4's here have spare everything and as this is the only route through help wouldn't be far away.

We had a quick look at Keep River National park on the way but decided that it is the same as the other parks so didn't stay long.

The rest of the day was spent looking at dead wallabies and birds eating them on the highway. It is not a good idea driving here at night due to the risk of hitting wild life (and you are not insured after dark).

We pulled into the last campsite before Katherine as it was getting late. It is more a free rest stop provided to stop people from over doing it on the highway.

The blog picture is of the very smelly dunny, basically a pit toilet. This is the one Aus experience that Liz didn't want to experience. The flies that are the bane of Australia were also out in force.

Sunset (and it was good) meant two things - the flies would go and also we could use the cover of darkness to water the vegetation. You could go into the bush but after seeing pictures (that morning) of the local snakes eating crocs whole - waiting until dark was the safer option.

Liz is not enjoying the lack of everything (esp somewhere nice to poo), I am sitting here doing this blog with the noise of crickets, and looking up at a full moon halo without something trying to bite me. It has only been half a day in the car but it is a lot warmer - just perfect.

Australia reminds me of Botswana, lots of flat repeating scenery before you get to anything worth seeing. When you do get there is it worth the cost to see it.

That may seem negetive - the point is that Australia is Australia and Africa is Africa, they are different. Botswana was enjoyable because it was different from the rest of Africa. Botswana had 'hey man there's a curve in the road coming up", Australia has no alcohol signs.

Incidently, Bushy Dave was telling me a story: he once took a swig of beer on the seafront (I think it was Broome) and got fined on the spot. The aboriginal friend that he was with could drink but as soon as the first swig was made by him - he was fined (he didn't relise you couldn't drink).