We got up at 8 in the morning and set off after breakfast.. 3.5 hours later, after getting oil at Elliot, we continued on to Mataranka.. After taking a right on Homestead Road in the afternoon, we were at Mataranka Hot Springs in Elsey National Park, 7 km inland. Here is a hot water stream with a temperature of 34 degrees Celsius, 30.5 million cubic meters per day, surrounded by palm trees.. After we parked our car and put on our swimming clothes, we immersed ourselves in this hot water.. People from 7 to 70 had filled the pool. Even though I said pool, don’t think of anything artificial.. It is a place like a creek with a depth of 1-2 meters under the palm trees in a place like an untouched forest.
After swimming and resting for an hour in this hot water stream, I took a short walk to the river passing through the National Park.. On a tree by the river were 2 not very big crocodiles. The water of the hot water stream that I swim in mixes with this creek and there are metal cages in the mixing place.. In many places, there are information signs with crocodile pictures on it stating that swimming is dangerous and prohibited.
We decided to spend the night at the Jalmurark campsite, 3 km away, for this evening.. On my way to the campsite, kangaroos and wallabies passed by me many times.. This area is completely swampy, crossing the roadsides and sometimes wetlands on the road and reaching the camping area.. There are informative letters and envelopes for the payment of the camp fee at the camp entrance. You close the envelope for $6.5 per person and put it in the box.. You also make a copy of the envelope and stick it on your car window.. The rangers, who are the park rangers, come and check, if you do not pay, you will be fined.
Again, at the entrance of the camp, there are ready cut logs and woods for you to light a fire, you can buy what you need from there.. We chose one of the tables for picnics in the campsite and one of the grilled stoves prepared for making a fire and lit our fire.. Millions of mosquitoes fly outside. I got bitten a lot because I didn’t use mosquito spray in the first 5 minutes.. It’s a place one shouldn’t go out without protective spray, I lit our fire, roasted potatoes and onions again and prepared dinner for myself.
Meanwhile, Hobit was on the move again to drive the German girls crazy.. When we sat on the bench, the girls had burned some kind of incense used to protect themselves from mosquitoes.. Our Hobit, without asking them, took the incense found in the place where they were sitting, broke it and put it on the table.. Of course, he always did this by talking to himself while doing something.. I laughed and hung out with the girls while they were all looking at each other. Just so you selfish people share like Hobit. The girls seem to be losing patience with Laurie. He doesn’t stay silent, he is no different from 15-year-old children who love to talk, in fact, I don’t mind much, but we all prefer to hear the silence, the sound of frogs and birds in this beautiful environment.
Day 326: Australia:71. Mataranka, 25 June 2011
