Friday 04 July 2014 (Day 9)
We are in Katherine NT
First things first, we must do some washing...arh! so much dust and dirt over our clothes, I have a feeling they may need two goes even. We are also changing our attire from jeans and jumpers to shorts and tee's, we are very much enjoying the tropical climate that brings so many southerners up this way during the winter.
It is also a day for checking out town, restocking the pantry and checking out art galleries. I am keen to find a piece of traditional art whatever that may look like. There are so many lovely artworks but I really prefer to know the story behind the painting as is the way with the dreamtime. It is also best when both Terry and I can agree on the same piece. Needless to say we did not purchase a painting. I did however like one called 'Kangaroo Dreaming', it was an elongated piece with a kangaroo at the centre and the milky way streaming down the middle. I love the sky of outback Australia so much, and of course if you've ever been up to the toilet after 9pm and until about 7am the Australian marsupials are usually pretty prolific.
We found a quaint café "The Finch Café" which resides out of an old CWA building. Best coffee ever! It amazes me though how during the so-called peak season up here that retailers choose to close their trading at 2 in the afternoon...perhaps they model the Siesta but I very much doubt it.
The liquor laws are interesting and somewhat entertaining. Bottle shops open and 2pm and the influx of people to them increases exponentially. Terry went into the local BWS beside the Woolworths at 2.10pm, the queue was about 30 people deep by then.
Katherine township seems to mostly line the main highway and appears or feels overcrowded and chaotic, a little like it may have outgrown itself. Nevertheless we enjoyed our walk around town and found it a pleasant place for a visit.