20 AUGUST, 2021
On Wednesday we were advised that the COVID lock down orders for Darwin would be lifted at midday. With happy and expectant hearts Norm and I drove up in the hire car to Darwin to be reunited with our Golden Linus. The first problem Norm discovered when he was back onboard the beast was that the electronic window system was not working. However, we decided to return the hire car first before confronting Kerry Nissan. I followed Norm in Linus back to Thrifty. On very short return trip, Linus started to falter, the engine was running so roughly that it sounded like it was missing a cylinder or something. SO we reported back to Kerry Nissan with our concerns. First of all they implied that the window could have been a pre-existing problem since THEY did not know the the prior condition of the car. Nor did they know the previous running condition of the motor. That was despite the document they gave us indicating they had test run the vehicle and all was fine. REALLY!
With some firm persuasion on Norm’s part the service manage agreed to have another look at Linus. Some 3/4 hour later, they returned with the advice that the window relay switch was full of dirt, which they removed. The windows were now working again. They then said that two of their mechanics had driven the car and run a diagnostic program. NO issues were found. They suggested that the rough engine might was a result of the fact that the tyres were over inflated (45 psi for towing) AND that we were carrying a lot of things in the back (fridge and drawers). COME ON – we have driven over 5,000 kms on the same tyres and same load. PLUS we have airbags. As you can imagine we were not impressed. Anyway with doubt in our hearts we took the keys back and headed down the Stuart Highway to Coomalie. Feeling great relief, we arrived without incident.
Richard invited us and the gang out for dinner tonight at the Litchfield Outback Resort Hotel in Batchelor to celebrate our time together and as a farewell for us.
James and Denise came with us in Linus to celebrate her return home. We enjoyed a great night, with delicious food and fabulous company.
James & Denise 
Norma Gene & Sue 
Norm, Sue & Richard 
Norma Gene & Norm 
Norm & Sue
After a great night together, we hopped into Linus to drive home. GUESS WHAT – she would not start. It was the same problem that we experienced two weeks ago and that the experts at Kerry Nissan in Darwin claimed to have repaired. There we were, broken down, in the dark and more than a walk away from home. James rang Richard, who had already settled down for the night by then. He kindly put on his UBER hat and drove us back to Coomalie.
This morning Norm once again contacted our NRMA Premium support. Once again Andrew from Adelaide River came up in his flat top truck and and Linus is now awaiting the ministrations of a recommended auto electrician. Hopefully more will be revealed tomorrow.
Over the last few days I have noticed the temperature and also humidity rising. Some of the locals are predicting an early WET. Maybe we will still be here to experience that amazing phenomenon. I am very grateful for Denises’ plunge pool now. When the going gets hot I grab my book and noodle and take a plunge. I can float away hours lying back on the noodle, with current book, ‘Journey of the Pharaohs’, by Clive Cussler, held above water.
As the sun set in a red smokey glow from the nearby Batchelor bushfires, and the nearly full moon rose, we gathered together to share a delicious meal of sweet & sour chicken drumsticks served on a bed of rice prepared by James.
While we were enjoying our meal the local can toad choir raised their voices in the key of a chain saw in constant motion:
They were joined by another solo performer, which sounded similar, however with much shorter trills and longer pauses between calls. James told us that it was the Brown Ground Frog. Denise then introduced us to her pet who lives in one of her pot plants on the Kitchen ‘Cupboard’
https://australian.museum/learn/animals/frogs/northern-territory-frog/
ON THE ROAD 