Reporting in from Katherine!

Howdy southerners! Arriving in Darwin, puffy-eyed and not at my most aethsetically pleasing, full brownie points go to Elanor for picking me up at 2am from the airport. A short but sweet time was had in Darwin, getting acquainted with the creepy-crawlies that are coming out for build-up season. I've already spotted a tree-frog in the toilet, but still waiting for my first experience of frog tea (after belatedly finding one in the kettle!)
I jumped on a bus on Wednesday to Katherine.

Katherine. Hmmmm. It's small, but has perks. Hot springs, mango trees and friendly locals, to name a few. I've jumped straight into work, at Diwurruwurru-jaru Aboriginal Corporation, freaking myself out with the scope of the job. Firstly, it would be handy for me to pick up 3 or 4 languages pretty quickly. This week I'm hoping to meet up with the key language consultant for Bilinarra, a language spoken a couple of hundred k's south of Katherine (get out your atlas' and look up 'Pigeon Hole' if it's handy). In two weeks time I'm planning to go down there (with one of the other linguists at DAC, Colleen) and run a language class or two at the school. Arse into gear.

On a social note, Katherine might be a bit of a one-horse-town, but that means that when something is on, you go. Friday night I went to another linguist's party, Saturday night was the local high school's musical, and sometime this week, the Katherine Times tells me, there's a ladies' night where I can bid at the auction for a "hot male body". Great.

Saturday arvo, Colleen, a visiting friend of her's and myself did a bit of tourism. The Cutta-cutta caves were pretty cool, literally (a nice change from the 35C!) and then we drove on to Mataranka hot springs. The water is something out of the Blue Lagoon, in the middle of your stereotypical oasis, palm trees and all. Absolutely divine, apart from the putrid reek of bat poo.

Thanks to all in Melbs for getting in touch and hanging out before I left. They were a great last couple of weeks. Keep in touch and start planning your holidays up here!

Love to all,

Lauren