FRIDAY 21 JULY     THEDA STATION

There was heavy dew on the Truck and tent this morning.

I was up at 7.30. Washed the clothes I’d soaked overnight – they came out reasonably clean. This camping lifestyle does make clothes very grubby, very quickly.

The little freshie croc watched us for a while, doing its dead pandanus act. It is a pretty good act, too, but the floating upstream against the current is a bit of a give away!

No sign of our dark visitor, which I was tending to think was of the saltwater persuasion.

John fished again. Caught one of the turtles for which the pool is named – which he released, after apologising to it for the intrusion!

After lunch, drove the 7kms up to the homestead.

We chatted with them about our croccy residents – they really want to believe the big one is a freshie, for obvious reasons. They are the locals, and should know best, but a little part of me is not totally convinced.

I bought grapefruit they had for sale from their own garden trees, and a polo shirt for me.

They confirmed we do have to move on tomorrow, because the camp is booked by others.

We’d decided against doing the Theda Bradshaw  art tour because of the cost.

From their phone box, tried to phone Kalumburu to get a permit to travel there, on Saturday, but got no answer from the town office. When we’d enquired about this in Kununurra, had been told that the road was not open then and so there was no point in a permit. It had, of course, since opened.

Back at camp, did a little packing up.

Tea was burghul and rice patties.

The moon was waning now. It rose later and was odd shaped. So the nights were not as bright.

We built up the fire again before going to bed.