We managed to sleep quite well, the tent had proper beds and a light and the great luxury of a fan, so it was relatively comfortable. Arising at 5 for the shower and hair wash wasn't great, but I managed it. Once again, breakfast was at 5.45 and we were packed and on the road by 6.30. The animals round the camp site this time were dingoes - not so cute as the wallabies and they raided the dustbins and made quite a mess.
One of our fellow passengers was generous enough to take my place in the bus, so I spent the last day sitting in the back of the bus, being saved the discomfort of the hot motor and burning floor. I think my core body temperature had risen too high after a second day too close to the engine, because I certainly felt awful last night. For some reason, this tour company does not insist that passengers rotate round the seats, and some people hog the good seats while others always have the awful ones.
We were soon off the tarmac roads onto dirt roads, and then the 4 wheel drive had to be engaged and we were off on a really wild ride. The roads were far worse than those on Fraser Island, and it was rather like a roller coaster. Sometimes the vehicle bucked from side to side until you wondered if it would roll over. The seat belt does a good job of tightening and keeping your backside in the seat (though mine nearly cut my throat at times) but the vehicle is bouncing around so much your feet frequently leave the floor. At one stage there was quite a wide river to cross, but the markers said it was only 60 cms. deep, so we crossed it.
Apparently, the company prefers the vehicle not to be in water deeper than 50 cms. but we did it anyway. It is a bit disconcerting to see that there are so many notices on the bank warning about crocodiles, and it makes you wonder what will happen if the vehicle gets stuck and you have to get out!
Eventually, we arrived at the place where you can take a boat to view Twin Falls. The river passes through a deep gorge of fractured red rock, and the boat captain pointed out rock shelters which had been used by Aboriginal people in the distant past. It was very calm and quiet apart from the bird calls, though we saw two sea eagles. The water was very calm and clear and you could see the fish and the sandy bottom. We couldn't swim though, there were traces of a crocodile on the beach, and the boat had anti-crocodile mesh at the sides to prevent a hungry croc from snatching one of us.
You could see the falls, which were high but didn't have a lot of water, from where we got out of the boat. It is a picturesque place, and Paul thought the last part of the walk, right up to the falls, took you to the prettiest place he had yet seen.
Then we were off for another wild ride, back across the river and then to the walk to see Jim Jim Falls, where once again you can swim. The walk is classed as difficult, so I elected not to do all of it, and went part of the way and then sat quietly waiting for the others to return. Paul went all the way, leaving some other people who had difficulty in a nearer pool and swimming through to the very cool plunge pool. The cliffs on either side are very high, and shade the plunge pool, though there is no water over the falls themselves, it being the dry season.
Everybody was hot and sweaty again by the time they got back for lunch, the walk back not being any easier. Meantime I had spent just over an hour relaxing in the shade. The flies were a nuisance though, and I had to make copious use of the insect repellant and the head net.
After lunch, it was back to the wild roads. Half a dozen people in the back of the bus decided to have a competition to see who could keep the most water in one of the mugs used for breakfast. The back of the bus got quite wet, and there was virtually not water in the mugs by the time we got back onto a Tarmac road. It was so hot that everybody dried quite quickly.
It was a very long and hot drive back to Darwin, in 38 degree heat with no air conditioning in the bus, and we were all very hot and tired, especially since it was after 8 until we got back, and we have to leave again at 5.30 a.m. tomorrow morning. Everybody has written a complaint on their feedback form about the excessive heat in the bus.
We have been reunited with our main luggage and after eating we now have to repack everything again and get organised for getting up before 5 tomorrow. Everything, including the camera battery, has to be re-charged, so I probably won't have time to put in the pictures until we get to Alice Springs in 3 days time. By then, I hope I won't have forgotten what they are pictures of!
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