At the backpacker hostel/camp where I’m staying, the owner Coco charges 18$ per night for “normal” people and 11$ for cyclists. Some of the other guests asked if they would get the discount if they rented a bike in town. Coco explained that he knew when he saw a real cyclist. Luckily I passed that test. One of the criteria might be that you have to smell pretty bad when you arrive…
The place would probably be described as somewhat alternative with chickens walking around among the tents. After 6 months in Asia I didn’t realize this was strange before some new arrivals commented on it.
I was also offered work as soon as I arrived. The job, lasting just a single day, would require waking up at 5:30 in the morning and working in a mango field. I skipped the offer as I needed a day to relax after the cycling, but good to know that there is work around.
It seems like 90% of the backpackers in Australia are either German or French. It also seems like the most popular way of travelling is to buy or rent a car or van. Public transport is almost non-existent out here. I was very surprised when Ronny, one of the Germans, started to speak with me in Danish. It turned out that he and his Danish girlfriend Nicole had been staying for a while in Katherine while waiting for their car to get fixed. Apart from some Skype conversations with family and friends I don’t think I have been speaking Danish for the last 4 months.
The atmosphere at Coco’s place is great. The existence of a cheap super market and access to a fridge is equally great. I might spend a few days here while checking out the working possibilities.
