Days 6 to 14 on PMF Motor Challenge

21st March (Day 6)

Waiting for Taylors to catch up (always slow!). It is soooo hot. Rooster crowed all night as well as lots of heat. Taylors arrived at about 5pm – had a couple of beers and dinner. As night fell a party across the river began to emerge. As the night went on the party grew louder and louder until they finished around 3am.

22nd March (Day 7)

Left Longreach and headed to Winton. All Dinosaur attractions were closed (did not matter – we have Alan).

Had a great lunch in Winton pub where Alan was told to stop swearing.

Found a bush camp at a water hole called Combo just south of Kynuna. Hot, windy, and lots of flies. Swam in deep brown muddy water which was very refreshing.

Big wind came up that night and it felt like the roof top tents were going to blow off.

23rd March (Day 8)

All good this morning. Left for Cloncurry. Just before Cloncurry checked out a place called McKinlay where Crocodile Dundee did his 1st movie. The Pub where the scenes were shot was great – stopped to have a couple of beers.

In Cloncurry we stopped for a late lunch and a bit of a shop. Drove onto bush camp on the Leichardt river near Kagabbi.

24th March (Day 9)

The camping spot was really pretty and river was great to swim in, really clear water. Drove onto Mt Isa stayed in a caravan park that night our first civil accommodation since we left. Couldn’t swim in local creek due to fear of croc’s.

25th March (Day 10)

A bit cooler and cloudy today. Drove past a place called Comowell and established another bush camp (Taylor made). Flies drove us to drink. Lynn covered up totally looks like she is in the middle east already.

26th March (Day 11)

Left camp and travelled for about 600km to stay in the bush just north of Newcastle Waters on the road to Dunmarra. Flies backed off not to hot.

27th March (Day 12)

Warm and sunny. We left early to go to Katherine to have Universal joints replaced. Stayed in another caravan park – very humid – 100% me thinks. Wanted to swim in hot springs however advised against it due to river flooding and risk of croc’s in springs.
People at garage were incredible with their service and assistance. The garage was called H.R. Motors. Laurel (owner of the business) got her mechanics to come in specially on a Saturday morning to fit new joints.

Alan’s car is hanging together with a faulty radiator cap about to fail. He says score between cars is Toyota 3, Ford nil. However the radiator cap should square things up a bit (maybe).

28th March (Day 13)

Off to Litchfield National Park. Great campo site, great swimming.

29th March (Day 14)

Arrived in Darwin.

Booked flights to Dilli, watched the cricket and caught up with Max and Pam Pickworth. Max offered to drive us to the airport Tuesday morning. Dropping cars off to ANL shipping yard at 3pm today.