Day 3: Hot Springs
The rain stopped during the night. Good news. I saw to much sign “flood way” and I don’t really want to find a blocked road. I’m wondering how the relocation company would react if we’re late because of the weather. I don’t really want to check.
The good thing, when you drive a lot for the first two days, is that you can take it easy for the next two one. We’re planning to sleep in Katherine tonight. Nice opportunity to Mara and I to meet our next host. We only have 300 km to drive, and we’re looking forward our next stop: Hot Springs! Mara knows the amazing Umquat Hot Springs in Oregon, but we have no idea what to expect from this one. One thing is sure: expectations are hight!
We arrive on a big resort parking. The place seems really touristic, and we are a little bit worried about the price we’ll have to pay. We decide to have a look, just in case. To discover a very nice place, really quiet, and absolutely free! We can also swim in the river, a little bit further. A river at the perfect temperature for me.
Springs are also a time for meeting people again. Gabrielle find some of her friend, while I bump into Anna and Florent, and in our little tasmanian family. We decide to start with the river. It’s the first time I’m swimming since I’m in Australia, and I discover I was really missing it. Sometime, water is really cold, some time really hot. The river is a mix of different temperatures zones. The idea is to find a warm one, and stay in. We’re in a crocodile area, but a sign tell us that there is only river crocodiles here, and those one doesn’t try to eat human. Sometime, salt crocodiles swim up to here, but there’s trap, and none as been seen for a little while. So we’re suppose to be safe. Good news! After a little bath in the river, we decide to move to the pool, where the water is constantly at the same temperature.
One hot spring leading to another, we go on to the next. Tens kilometers further. People say that it’s a wilder one, way more natural. We discover quickly that it’s not really a hot spring, but more a hot river. There’s a few tourists, who knew that, and have floating noodles, and just follow the stream. As sportive as we are, we just do some swimming, in the middle of a paradisiac landscape. After a few turn, a ladder take us out of the water, so that we can walk back, instead of swimming up stream.
Quick little lunch break, and we are back on the road. The day is behind us now, but it was for a good reason. It was definitely great to take the time to swim and relax. We arrive in Katherine an hour later, just on time to meet Alex as he’s closing the art gallery. We take some time to talk with him. The first contact is really nice. He gives us a quick look of the house, where we’ll be able to park the van for the night. Looks really comfy and quiet. We’re going to love this place, I think.
We drive back to town, 7 km from here, to cook some food, and to listen to some music. The evening is really quiet and amazing. Philosophical talk, personal thoughts and story telling… once again, the link between the three of us is really strong, and I’m really happy with that…
