It was a cold night, getting down to 7C just before dawn. We were consequently in no hurry to get up early, instead being happy to wait for the sun to rise and get a bit of warmth into the day. The routine of people departing the caravan park and having others arrive to fill the vacant spaces started at around 8.30am – although not with the larger number of visitors coming and going as in previous weeks when the school holidays were in play.
It didn’t take us long after breakfast to head off for a ’swim’ in the thermal spring. The word ’swim’ can mean many things, but when you jump in and float around with the aid of a pool noodle, Olympic lap times are very unlikely. Here you can float downstream (we’re on the Roper River) with the masses, climb out at a designated exit point, walk back to the start and do it all again, or you can swim upstream around a couple of bends and have the place pretty much to yourself. No family groups with all manner of inflatables, no bogans floating along with a beer in hand, no owners taking their dog for a swim, etc.
After 75 minutes we were both suitably wrinkly and decided it was time to get out and head back to our campsite for lunch. A drive into Mataranka for essential supplies was in order after lunch, and we did a lap of the local IGA supermarket to see what was available. Each IGA is a little bit different outside the larger cities: the tyranny of distance makes it difficult to transport fresh fruit and vegies in a cost effective and timely manner so shelves don’t carry the same range of products, and what is on offer is generally geared to lasting a long time (tinned and dry foods) or items that travellers might need (mosquito coils, insect repellant, etc). A browse of the bottle shop had us walk to the cashier with a 6-pack of alcoholic ginger beer and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. Unfortunately, under the liquor licensing laws that apply throughout the Northern Territory, it turned out we needed two separate IDs – one for the wine and another for the beer. As Chris didn’t have his wallet on him, the wine went back in the fridge, we paid for our groceries and ginger beer, and returned to our campsite.
With groceries despatched to the pantry and fridge, it was time for another ‘swim’. The swimming hole (or start of the downstream float) is about 500 metres from the camp ground, with a well-worn path through grounds shaded by tall melaleucas. We ventured upstream again and found a shady spot where we could just soak in the warm spring waters (again). We have returned to camp, changed and are just about ready to sit back and enjoy some of the ginger beers before dinner.