CAMPSITE # 137 - Personal hygiene standards have been lowered.

All of the way from the last time we saw each other off at the Spirit of Tasmania terminal in Melbourne in March, our paths were to once again cross with our friends, Jess and Dave, who we spent a good 2 weeks exploring Tasmania with (see Campsite #67, Campsite # 61, Campsite # 60, Campsite # 59, Campsite # 58, Campsite # 56). After a very quick catch up, we learnt that Jess and Dave had come up through the centre via Ayers Rock after they worked for three months at a Sheep Station in central South Australia.

They were heading north towards Darwin via Litchfield and Kakadu and then venturing off to the road we'd just travelled in WA. There was so much to catch up on which meant Kakadu was put on the back burner for another day for us and we were tagging along with them to Edith Falls in the Nitmiluk National Park.


I'd hate to think how many places as beautiful as Edith Falls we'd driven past without stopping to camp at. But not this time, thankfully we didn't miss out on a divine waterhole at perfect swimming temperatures followed by a intriguing bush walk along the creekbed.

A 3 hour walk for the four of us provided a great excuse for catching up on our tales of the last four months and as you can imagine - there's certainly a lot to talk about!

During our drive to Edith Falls, Tom and I were have a funny chat about all of the little things you seem to get away with when you're camping. The types of things that you'd never do at home but it's almost as though different rules apply when you're on the road...

• You'd never just wear a pair of clothes once and then throw them in the washing pile. Oh no, when you're camping it's almost as though there's an unspoken challenge to see how many wears you can get out of your clothes before they HAVE to be washed. Failing any obvious stains or smells, you're good for at least another 3 days. Underwear excluded of course, well... for girls at least.
• Please excuse the following toilet humour but I'll try and put it as delicately as possible... what I like to refer to as "Popping a Squat" for the ladies is as common on the road as a fella finding a bush to take a squirt.
• Showering more than four times a week is as good as staying at the Hilton.
• Brushing your teeth behind a bush and finding a garden tap to wash it all out is totally ok.
• You can feel free to join your neighbour, in their living room, providing you BYO chair.

It a nut shell, person hygiene standards are somewhat lowered to a point of borderline 3rd world country standards. And we love it! (So long as we remember to hike our standards back up when we return to the real world!)

Site : Edith Falls

Rating : 10 / 20

Facilities : Flat area. Some shade - if you get a good site. $9 per person. Hot showers & flushing toilets. No fires. 2 minute walk to watering hole.

Oh, and I just thought of one more to go on the list... apparently men don't need to shave when on the road (another one for the personal hygiene colomn).