Day 4: the end of the road, there and back again
Today is going to be a strange day… I have to drive up to Darwin, but then hitch hike my way back. Strange idea might say some. I guess I agree. I guess I like to do strange things. We agree with Mara that it doesn’t really make sense that she comes with me just for the pleasure of hitch hiking back. Mara’s and Gabrielle’s roads split here.
Just after Katherine, we stop to pick up a hitch hiker. She’s going to Darwin. I always stop for hitch hiker, but knowing that I’ll be doing exactly the same thing tonight… some call it “karma”. We have lots of thing to talk about with Gabrielle, and we were planning to do it on the road. After a little chat with the girl, she goes to sleep, giving us all the time we were hoping to have. The landscape is amazing, but I’m not checking it. I’ll see it on the way back. And I’ll probably come back to Darwin one day. We just stop for a quick lunch break, and start driving soon after. A little bit in a hurry. We’re a little bit late when we arrive in Darwin. I still take the time to drive up to the end of the road. In front of me is the ocean. That’s over. After crossing north america from east to west and west to east a couple of time, I’ve no drive across Australia from south to north. One more road on my list. And what an amazing road!
I promise. I’ll tell you more about the Stuart Highway at some time. But for now, I just say good bye to Gabrielle. She might comeback to Katherine in a few days. Also say good bye to our passenger, and drive the van back to his home. I recognize one of the giro. She was working in Melbourne, a few months ago. Seems that they relocate there employer the same way they relocate there van. The girl who take care of me is a really friendly one (big change from usual). Her colleague, on the other way, is as antipathic as they use to be. When she heard that I was doing a relocation, she comments by saying “he’s lucky we didn’t keep the bond from him”. Yes, I was 30 minutes late… but anyway… everything went well. I drop the van, and walk back to the Stuart Highway, rising my thumb, heading south this time.
It tools me a little while before the first car stop and drop me 30 km further. The second car took 45 minutes to stop, for a 100 km drive. Problem: when the guy drops me, the sun has set a little while ago. Not the best time to hitch hike. I do have my tent, but was hoping to be back tonight. I still give it a try. Talk to a guy at the gas station. Tell him that it’s important. He agrees to take me to Katherine. Doesn’t seem really motivate. We would definitely not have stop if I hadn’t talk to him. I’m definitely really thankful. Two hours later, I’m back in Katherine, where Terry pick me, avoiding me a 7 km walk. Mara is already asleep.
I left Katherine at 10 AM. Back 10 hours later, after driving 330 km and hitch hike the same road back. Strange feeling of a totally useless day. But sometime, I guess, you have to!
