All the people one meets along the way makes the trip so interesting. At Pine Creek my campground neighbours were riding their pushbikes around Australia. He said he was from Nottingham in England. They rode their bikes from Shanghai to Singapore and now from Darwin, Litchfield and were on their way to Katherine via Edith Falls. Then they were going to head west to do the Gibb River Road. They left Pine Creek a couple of hours before me and I passed them on the highway and then as I was driving out of Edith Falls I saw them only about a 5 ks out of the falls! They are nearly as fast as Myrtle.
I met another woman travelling alone. She was heading back to Darwin where she is living. She showed me her van and when she pulled back the material over the door way her van was decorated like Mandy's hippy shop in Beechworth. There was candles and oils and decorations hanging down. She even had little pot plants she carried around of basil, mint etc. I also saw some people at Maysie's cafe in Pine Creek that I had seen 3 times before in my travels. Maysie's must be an a bit of well known spot. It is decked out in 50s/60s retro. Anyway I better get some sleep. I don't always sleep well in crowded caravan parks. I love the ones in national parks and free spots.
Friday, 10 August 2012
some photos
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| view from Ubirr - looked so much more stunning there - the smoke is in the distance. |
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| Rock art at Ubirr |
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| Looking over the plains from the big rock lookout at Ubirr - they were burning off in the distance Battery going flat so more photos later! |
Kakadu adventures
On Tuesday, after a night at the Jabiru campground (and a lovely spinach and feta quiche from the bakery for breakfast ) I drove to Ubir (please be patient and I will get brochures later and check spelling of the names). On the way I went to the cultural centre to find out more about the area. This place has so much amazing rock art and rock formations. You can climb up to the top of this rock and look out over the green plains and some wet lands. The rock art is very old (some I think over 20-40,000 years and some more recent) and they also painted over the art and did more art over the top. Sort of like updating a news bulletin! It was hot and windy and nearly got blown off the rock. Near there is Border Cafe and I have heard that they have great Thai food. People usually order their meal, look at the sunset and come back and pick it up. Sounds like a great idea. I didn't do the sunset but it was a stunning view anyway!
Kakadu is an amazing place (even though some "Darwinians" call it "Kakadon't"). It is constantly changing - even though some people might think it is just the wet and the dry season they say it is really 6 seasons because it changes constantly as the wet lands go down and it gets very dry towards the build up - different growth seasons for plants etc and the bird and animal life move in the different areas depending on what is happening.
More later I better check on the laundry (currently in Katherine). Laundry done then off to a mechanics to check on airconditioner in the car. It makes a squealy noise. He said if I got the belts he would fix it tomorrow so that is good. Then back to the park and forgot that I was also defrosting my little fridge! Water everywhere on the floor. Well I am Aeroguarded up as I am near a lagoon at the Springvale Homestead. Heaps of backpackers here. Not that I am against backpackers! I was parked near a few tents that had heaps of empty bottles lined up so I moved along a bit. It is very nice but I am sure there are heaps of midgies and mozzies!
Anyway where was I. That's right back in Kakadu.
After Ubir I went to Norlangie on the way to Cooinda. There is more rock art and walks there and also a beautiful lake Annabang (remember I will do correct names later). I was so hot and tired when I got to Cooinda Lodge camp ground. It is just so busy there as all the Yellow water boat tours leave from there. I lined up in a queue at reception and then found out it was $46 a night powered site! I said I would think about it and thought the pool looked good so turned around to book and another queue. Then the guy sent me to the wrong site! Well eventually I got settled in and also bumped into Sandra and Bob (campground neighbours from Darwin). I had a swim then a drink with them and then salad in the van as so many bities around. The next day I was lucky enough to get on an Animal Tracks tour that a woman i talked to at the wave pool in Darwin recommended. It was expensive but she said definitely worth it. It left at 1 pm and went till 9 pm. Rachel was an excellent guide and we went in a open air 4WD bus to a buffalo farm (buffalos are now just kept in one farm with electric fences as the rest were culled in the 1980's as they were ruining the landscape and damaging levy banks and some fresh and salt water areas being joined up) They are an introduced species and there were about 300,000 of them. It was an enviromental issue but also the USA who were importing our beef said they wouldn't do it if there was a chance of buffalo contaminating our beef cattle. So something was done about it when it became an economic issue!
Anyway it was an amazing experience. We picked up Patsy, an aboriginal woman who accompanied us to show us where bush tucker was and we had to get hands on and search for it.
We got muscles, water chestnuts and tasted ants. Each time they do the tour they search for what ever is in season and what they are allowed to eat culturally as there are laws on what should be eaten at different seasons . We had dinner cooked in the traditional way on hot coals and in paperbark and leaves and watched the sunset over the wet lands and listened to thousands of geese.
We also had wild geese and barramundi and damper cooked on the coals. It was such a wonderful experience and everyone enjoyed it. I would do it again and recommend it to anyone. You got to hear about the way the bush people/traditional owners live. Some great stories were told by Patsy. I was very tired by the end of the day as looking for bush tucker is hard work and I would starve if I depended on it as I didn't find a single muscle or a waterchesnut! There were kids on the trip and they all found things!!! So many wonderful memories of the evening.
I camped down the road the road that night at a national park camp ground ($10 no power) but shower and toilets and a beautiful spot near a lagoon. I went for a short walk near the lagoon but kept thinking of those crocs!
I did a boat cruise next day around Yellow Water and saw water lilies, birds and crocs.
I think the Northern Territory is a wonderful place! I really can't describe in words who it gets in your skin! Well figuratively and literally (with all the bugs and dirt!)
I drove out of Kakadu thinking that it would be great to visit again and would be better in a 4WD as there are places that would be great that Myrtle couldn't get to (sorry Myrtle you are a great van and I do appreciate you! but you do have limitations.)
I stayed in Pine Creek on the way back to Katherine. A funny little place. I had a bacon and egg sandwich at Maysie's for breakfast then back to Katherine (and a visit into Edith Falls on way - a really nice place for a swim).
More later - getting eaten by mozzies at the camp kitchen.
Kakadu is an amazing place (even though some "Darwinians" call it "Kakadon't"). It is constantly changing - even though some people might think it is just the wet and the dry season they say it is really 6 seasons because it changes constantly as the wet lands go down and it gets very dry towards the build up - different growth seasons for plants etc and the bird and animal life move in the different areas depending on what is happening.
More later I better check on the laundry (currently in Katherine). Laundry done then off to a mechanics to check on airconditioner in the car. It makes a squealy noise. He said if I got the belts he would fix it tomorrow so that is good. Then back to the park and forgot that I was also defrosting my little fridge! Water everywhere on the floor. Well I am Aeroguarded up as I am near a lagoon at the Springvale Homestead. Heaps of backpackers here. Not that I am against backpackers! I was parked near a few tents that had heaps of empty bottles lined up so I moved along a bit. It is very nice but I am sure there are heaps of midgies and mozzies!
Anyway where was I. That's right back in Kakadu.
After Ubir I went to Norlangie on the way to Cooinda. There is more rock art and walks there and also a beautiful lake Annabang (remember I will do correct names later). I was so hot and tired when I got to Cooinda Lodge camp ground. It is just so busy there as all the Yellow water boat tours leave from there. I lined up in a queue at reception and then found out it was $46 a night powered site! I said I would think about it and thought the pool looked good so turned around to book and another queue. Then the guy sent me to the wrong site! Well eventually I got settled in and also bumped into Sandra and Bob (campground neighbours from Darwin). I had a swim then a drink with them and then salad in the van as so many bities around. The next day I was lucky enough to get on an Animal Tracks tour that a woman i talked to at the wave pool in Darwin recommended. It was expensive but she said definitely worth it. It left at 1 pm and went till 9 pm. Rachel was an excellent guide and we went in a open air 4WD bus to a buffalo farm (buffalos are now just kept in one farm with electric fences as the rest were culled in the 1980's as they were ruining the landscape and damaging levy banks and some fresh and salt water areas being joined up) They are an introduced species and there were about 300,000 of them. It was an enviromental issue but also the USA who were importing our beef said they wouldn't do it if there was a chance of buffalo contaminating our beef cattle. So something was done about it when it became an economic issue!
Anyway it was an amazing experience. We picked up Patsy, an aboriginal woman who accompanied us to show us where bush tucker was and we had to get hands on and search for it.
We got muscles, water chestnuts and tasted ants. Each time they do the tour they search for what ever is in season and what they are allowed to eat culturally as there are laws on what should be eaten at different seasons . We had dinner cooked in the traditional way on hot coals and in paperbark and leaves and watched the sunset over the wet lands and listened to thousands of geese.
We also had wild geese and barramundi and damper cooked on the coals. It was such a wonderful experience and everyone enjoyed it. I would do it again and recommend it to anyone. You got to hear about the way the bush people/traditional owners live. Some great stories were told by Patsy. I was very tired by the end of the day as looking for bush tucker is hard work and I would starve if I depended on it as I didn't find a single muscle or a waterchesnut! There were kids on the trip and they all found things!!! So many wonderful memories of the evening.
I camped down the road the road that night at a national park camp ground ($10 no power) but shower and toilets and a beautiful spot near a lagoon. I went for a short walk near the lagoon but kept thinking of those crocs!
I did a boat cruise next day around Yellow Water and saw water lilies, birds and crocs.
I think the Northern Territory is a wonderful place! I really can't describe in words who it gets in your skin! Well figuratively and literally (with all the bugs and dirt!)
I drove out of Kakadu thinking that it would be great to visit again and would be better in a 4WD as there are places that would be great that Myrtle couldn't get to (sorry Myrtle you are a great van and I do appreciate you! but you do have limitations.)
I stayed in Pine Creek on the way back to Katherine. A funny little place. I had a bacon and egg sandwich at Maysie's for breakfast then back to Katherine (and a visit into Edith Falls on way - a really nice place for a swim).
More later - getting eaten by mozzies at the camp kitchen.
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
Kakadu
Arrived in Jabiru last night. I really enjoyed Darwin but nice to be out of a packed, busy caravan park and away from the noisy planes. It is so peaceful out here. I went for a walk this morning around to the Jabiru bakery for fresh bread and now ready for a day looking around. I am off to look at the rock art today. Running low on power on the laptop. Staying at unpowered site - so much less expensive here.
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Still Darwin
On Friday night I went to the deckchair cinema with Sandra my new camp ground friend. We went to see "Where do we go now" (a film set in Lebanon). It was a great night. I loved the movie and sitting in a deckchair under the stars was such a wonderful way to enjoy a night out. They have dinner to buy by a local caterer and wine and icecream so it is a real social event. We even had fireworks to watch at the beginning as it is a long weekend for the Darwin Cup.
It is not easy getting a good night sleep in the camp ground. It is very busy here being peak season and some people near me were up at 5.00 am packing to go and during the night you may hear a plane or cars and being near the toilet block there are always people walking past. I was going to see if I could get a job and maybe find out Tuesday (as it is a long weekend here) but I am a bit over the camp ground and I don't know how I would go here for 3 weeks as I have already been here for nearly a week.
Anyway yesterday I went to the Botanical Gardens for a wander - they have an amazing community vegie garden there built in a terrace style. Heaps of tomatoes and eggplant and pumpkins. I then went to the wave lagoon which is at the waterfront. It was fun and you get a floating ring or a boogie board. Then I went by myself to the deckchair cinema again! I saw "Take this Waltz". It wasn't as good as the movie the night before. I had a Indian meal at the cinema and it was so good and then icecream! Anyway I think I will be heading off to Kakadu soon and bush again so no opportunities for eating out or movies then!
It is not easy getting a good night sleep in the camp ground. It is very busy here being peak season and some people near me were up at 5.00 am packing to go and during the night you may hear a plane or cars and being near the toilet block there are always people walking past. I was going to see if I could get a job and maybe find out Tuesday (as it is a long weekend here) but I am a bit over the camp ground and I don't know how I would go here for 3 weeks as I have already been here for nearly a week.
Anyway yesterday I went to the Botanical Gardens for a wander - they have an amazing community vegie garden there built in a terrace style. Heaps of tomatoes and eggplant and pumpkins. I then went to the wave lagoon which is at the waterfront. It was fun and you get a floating ring or a boogie board. Then I went by myself to the deckchair cinema again! I saw "Take this Waltz". It wasn't as good as the movie the night before. I had a Indian meal at the cinema and it was so good and then icecream! Anyway I think I will be heading off to Kakadu soon and bush again so no opportunities for eating out or movies then!
Friday, 3 August 2012
More Darwin
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| a didge guy at the Mindil market last night |
I caught the bus into town this morning so Myrtle could relax at the camp ground. $5 pass for a day on the buses. I went to an employment agency then had such good latte and muffin at Four Birds cafe and then a bus out to the Museum and Art Gallery. A great exhibition of Cyclone Tracey (24 Dec 1974).
Back into town on the bus and a look around and then back to the camp ground to put my feet up. Very warm this afternoon. There isn't too many people in the main street as I have been told they have built a huge shopping centre out at Casurina (sp?) and everyone goes out there. I think there is enough big shopping centres in Australia and they are all the same. I quiet liked the shops in the City Centre. So many eating places. I think everyone eats and drinks a lot up here!
I would like to go to the wave pool, deckchair cinema and hire a bike. Will see how I go.
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Discovering Darwin
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| Mindil Beach at Sunset - I wanted to tell the woman to go away! |
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| Everyone goes to the beach from the market to watch the sunset |
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