at the mata, the mataranka...

Yes we chose 'life'. Delighted that we hadn't been stabbed, shot, drugged, thrown in the back of a uht and burried alive in the desert by a red neck who had that 'wife beater look' in his eye, with the help of his mate who looked like Snoop Dogg's cheap cousin, we celebrated life by getting back on the road and out of tennant hell as fast as we could. We arranged to meet the dutch contingent in Mataranka, a small town famed by its setting in a book written in 1204 that sounds dull as hell and its thermal springs. After the adrenaline/beer cocktail we had had the night before some relaxing was needed and the natural 32 degree hot springs were just the ticket. We also went to the 'must see' event of mataranka ...the live barramundi feeding by hand. Yes indeed by hand. This proved to be the only event of mataranka never mind 'must see'. But it was quite cool and hosted by a big beardy fellow (not too dissimilar to captain birds eye...Ellie you must be on first name terms now with the captain surely). He literally pulled these big boys from the water with his own hands. Now not only do they stink (because they are fish and fish smell) but they are slippery fellas that weigh about 15kg. After such excitement we all went for a jolly 5 mile jaunt to Mataranka Falls. They looked very beautiful and impressive in the book, perhaps because the photo they had used was of Niagara Falls and not a poxy rubbish dribble. 'oiy could spit morrrr than thaat' and Nick was right. This did not stop Felix from stripping off and leaping into the river. 'itsh like I walked all thish way in the shun and itsh pretty hot yesh, sho now I go for a nysh dip, anyone elsh?' err no thanks you crazy dutchman'. We had all checked for croc warnings but still Felix was the only one prepared to go in. Happily he survived and we continued. On our return a 'mr ranger sir' greeted us with a quizical 'ahh gday folks... you haven't seen any crocs around have you?' 'er no sorry why are you missing some?' 'ahh naa but there has been a sighting!' 'holy scmoking gildersh, you mean I shwam in dangeroush wartersh. I could have been that guysh dinner yesh?' I don't know what it is with these dutch guys but there is always some drama when they are with us.

hand catching barramundi

mataranka falls river

This statement later proved to be inaccurate as upon leaving the falls we cheerfully shouted 'see you guys back at the campsite soon'. Well 'soon' became 3 hours as prescilla pulled her 'i am not going to start again' trick and once again we watched darkness fall as we waited for roadside rescue. Al previous information and advice given to us rendered no use to man nor beast. It's a bit tricky playing eyespy in the dark but with the sporadic noise of drunken indigenous people shouting to each other across the road 'ahhhrrrggppllurrshh a gooni googu' we new we weren't alone as we waited.

The journey back to camp was a little hairy, as it was dark an abundance of wildlife was out and bouncing across the road with little regard for oncoming traffic. It was like a reverse game of space invaders as we tried not to hit anything with shiny eyes as it boinged merrily in front of us. Colin Mcrae would have been proud.

swimming

And so our night ended with a few beers and a feed, not forecasted in the budget as we were so cheesed off, a game of pool with a man who was clearly related to both Lovejoy and David Hasselhoff, and a yarn by the campfire after which we bid Felix, Nick, Jordie and Hoffjoy farewell as we went our separate ways.

we like sitting

with nick, felix and jordie