Back on the Stuart

Back on The Stuart - 24 June 2017

This is a big army tank of some description. What a whopper! It was being transported on a big truck thingo! Words escape me in my ignorance of such mechanical giants. But it was big!!

Fortunately we've been swimming against the tide! Que? Many 100s of army personnel from Darwin are on the move to Rockhampton along part of the route we have been travelling - fortunately in the opposite direction. They are to meet with the marines for 'training' exercises . Quite an eye opening operation. We had only just get set up at the Daly Waters HiWay Road house for an overnight stay when 100 odd soldiers rolled up and unrolled their swags - right next to us.! Our hearts sank but they were very good and unbelievably quiet all night, dear pets. It took a couple of hours for them to pack up/break camp (whatever army-talk that is) and get back on the road on their way to their war games. Nosey Parker me had to go and find out what they were doing etc etc... with Lindsay 'patiently' gunning the engine waiting for me to stop chatting so we could get going. All very interesting but most likely boring as all get out to you so I'll spare you the details. We passed loads of trucks and other camouflage-painted vehicles as we travelled north to Katherine. Huge manoeuvre!

Another army wheeled mystery vehicle. Loads and loads of equipment and supplies was being swept South and east along some of our northern highways.

And now we are in airforce territory with the sounds of planes etc! a very busy part of the country this yet I rather like Katherine. But still I prefer the quiet, the wonderful silence of places not far away - the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees.