Day 7 - Darwin- Here we come

We have a brilliant breakfast at El Questro , walk along the river enjoy the grounds – its well organised with more than adequate staff . The sleep in the spacious tent is comfortable. We decide we will do the hot springs at Zebedee.


Below a multi coloured cliff face in a very tropical area, with ferns and bangalow palms , yo can see the steam rising form the hot springs as it churns out of the earth. There are many small pools as the spring winds its way down to the valley. The pools are filled with people. The water is dark and clear. We leave there feeling refreshed and ready for a 700k trip to Pine Creek 200k from Darwin.

We leave El Questro feeling pampered, it’s a little commercial given that we have been bushing it and really enjoyed the solitude but was a welcome respite. We managed to get rid of some of the dust but Desire is really covered in red dust.

We drive the short distance to the end of the Gibb River Road and look back one last time. We feel we are leaving a friend, she has been our guardian over the last while and we enjoyed being there, but north we must go on towards Kunnanurra. This is a pretty town, it is green and beautiful . The river is huge with lake Argyll close by. The endless stream water based activities are a testament to scale of water. The river is blue indicating the depth of the water and there are big boats offering boat tours , fishing and skiing. It would have been great to spend a few days here but we don’t have the time.

At Lunch time we reach the Victoria River Roadhouse. Victoria river has many gorges, helicopter rides , river activities and is nestled in a valley of rocky mountains. The pub is great and we sit down to the best hamburger I have ever had cooked by a French student chef , its winter and 27 degrees the beer is ice cold – the drive is long but its tarred and after 700k Lu and I are not tired at all but decide we don’t want to get to Darwin at midnight – so we campout at Pine Creek and sleep comfortably in Desire , not before lu has a mini panic attack and takes a breather outside … then back in and we cuddle up under a dark sky and very bright stars. There is a orchestra of crickets with a large frog as the opera singer.. going back to Sydney will take some adjustment.