I started the day very slowly doing a full 45 minute yoga practice and another 20 minute of neck exercises. It's a beautiful way to start the day. While I was having "me" time my DH (darling husband) did three loads of washing and hung them out to dry. He's such a keeper. 😍
By the time we had finished the chores around the van it was almost 10am so we decided to go and cast our absentee vote for the election and then do the grocery shopping. You won't believe this, but as we were about to leave the polling booth, Philip spotted our old friends from Julia Creek, Bernadette & Henry! What a lovely coincidence that we just happened to be in the right spot at the right time. Bern suggested we all go for coffee at a great little coffee place near the hot springs. So off we went.
This coffee shop is like no other. The owners (from Cairns) come up to Katherine each tourist season and set up two fully fitted out shipping containers under the shade of the giant shade tree right near the hot springs. Once the tourist season is over they put the containers into storage and return to Cairns. What great initiative!
I ordered the very refreshing fruit juice with a hint of chilli and Philip said his Cappuccino was perfect alongside a carrot cake muffin. We sat and talked with our friends for a good hour, swapping stories about each others lives; such very different lives. Henry oversees a large portfolio of cattle places for a well known company and travels extensively across the top end in order to do this. They, like our other friends, have thrived in the Territory and they couldn't imagine living anywhere else. The Northern Territory lifestyle definitely gets into the blood. I totally understand it. The people here are somewhat different to folks that live in suburbia. There are no pretences. You are who you are and you either take me or leave me.
Our friends also imparted a wealth of information about our journey into the Kimberleys and what we should see and where we should stay. I'm so grateful for this information. Bernadette also reminded us that all fruit and vegetable will be confiscated as we cross into Western Australia. I had forgotten this and I'm glad that I was reminded of this before I did a grocery shop. There was no fruit and vegetable in my trolley today but there was a slow cooker included. It cost a whole $25. It did say on the box that it was 1.5 litre but I purchased it anyway, smaller being better in a caravan. However when I opened the box both Philip and I burst out laughing. It is tiny.......😂😂😂
Not being discouraged by it's size I have packed it to the brim with a beef stew made with vegetables I had in the refrigerator. I also made Adam Liaw's Better Bolognese that starts with a soffrito of carrot, onion, celery, parsley and garlic. Again, using up the vegetable. It smells pretty darn good and I will now have meals to freeze and an almost empty vegetable compartment in the refrigerator.
I don't know where the day has gone but I have just finished cooking and the clock says 5.00 pm. We had intentions of going for a walk to the hot springs this afternoon but that has gone by the wayside. Perhaps we can do that before we leave tomorrow morning. We only have a short distance to drive tomorrow as our next stop is Victoria River, just inside the NT Border, and it is another recommendation. From memory I think Philip said it is less than 200km.
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