Katherine Gorge 1.8.10

dear friends

at last! we have managed to get a modicam of service and here I am outside Kunumurra in WA, typing this to you all; you know my feelings about Telstra and the 3 G network, so blah blah, swear words, but it shits me that we are paying $78 per month for this so called service...

Ok I'll stop whining and try to tell you all of what we have been doing; I may NOT be able to load on pics as we have a very slow download here, but I will tell you via text and you will have to use your vivid imaginations...

Last post we were in Kings Canyon and made our way to Katherine N.T. to start our visit of Katherine and the Gorge country; so we drove for 3 days and stayed at free rest camping areas on the way; We stopped at a place called the Manaranka Hot Springs, which was a free hot springs in a pool at the rear of a camping ground; as you all know there is bugger all FREE in this world, so we sat in that for a bit (31c) and very nice it was too; then we made it into Katharine township; 31/7/10; and booked in for a 4 hr tour of the Katherine Gorge the next day sun 1st aug. 2010; after a lunch at Mcdonalds, (yeah I know, Matt can cook, but we were craving junk food at this time); we went to visit the Edith Falls, 50km outside of town; we parked in the Red gum Caravan park, so that meant power and a hot shower; yippee; but the edith falls were absolutely fantastic, 2 waterfalls that went into a natural plunge pool. The locals were out in force as it was Saturday, and after climbing over the slippery rocks, we made it into the pool; which is about 4m across and deep in parts, but the water was very cold which made up for the 33c outside... Lovely... Of course Matt had to show off and swim under the waterfalls... But he is a good swimmer...

After this we took our boat tour next day (1.8.10) along the Katherine Gorge; there are 13 gorges in all and only about 4 are seen by the public; some are sacred places, some have to be hiked into taking a few days, but trust me when I tell you the main gorge we saw was absolutely bloody breathtaking... There are crocs in the gorge, we saw a few smaller freshwater ones, and they do catch big saltwater ones here sometimes. We changed boats half way up the gorge to a smaller one and off we went again; our guide Steve was very knowledgeable about the area which was great as the 25 of us on board were asking questions nonstop.

At the 3rd gorge we visited, we were able to swim in a rock pool and have our 'morning tea' which I am sad to say only consisted of some muesli bars and apples!

Notwithstanding it was fab to see the Gorge at last; something we have been wanting to do for years and years.

Next day 2.8.10 we set off for Kakadu Nat.Park and arrived about 11am and we had to buy 2 x $25 passes for the park, which last for 14 days. We then went to the Yellow Water billabong and managed to get on a 1.15pm tour (1 1/2 hrs) around the billabong and up the East Alligator river; Now here they do have very BIG saltwater crocs who will eat you for lunch and ask whats for dessert. Luckily the ones we saw were in the water and on the small side... After this tour which was great, we found a campsite at the Jim Jim Billabong (a freebie) and yes there was a billabong there which I was loathe to go near in case something came out to show me its teeth... fantastic grounds, with free showers thrown in. Now I have to tell you folks that Kakadu is a BIG park, its about the size of Tasmania, (for those o.s readers, pls check any current map of Australia and you will get the idea), and has lots to see; so next day we struck out north east for the town of Jabiru. Now if any of you have been to Canberra, or if in the UK, Milton Keynes, Hold that thought; cos when we reached Jabiru, instead of having a main street like every other town we had seen, it was a copy of a 1960s shopping precinct in Canberra; i.e the shops were all facing each other in a square that could only be accessed on foot, and they were a odd angles to each other, making it hard to see what was what. Whatever fool town planner who put this together back in the 1960s I hope is ending his days in a nursing home in adult nappies with drool coming out of his mouth. This place needs to be semtexed and re built. Sorry to digress but if you had been there, you would agree...

Leaving here we headed for the Nouralangie rock art sites, where some of the rock art is believed to be over 2000 years old. Very amazing place; and as we were leaving to our amazement and relief for buying one, the Rangers were checking for permits! We found another site to camp near Ubirr and the rangers came around and charged us $10 for staying a night; no complaints there as the place had h/c showers and flush toilets plus each site had its own BBQ pit, just grab the wood and start cooking; speaking of that, Matt has become very adept at the starting up and cooking on, of open fires.

Next day we drove to Ubirr rock art sites and this blew our minds; there were walks around to show the art and we heard one of the rangers tell the stories associated with the art; then a walk up to the top of the hill and a fab view of the East Alligator River, the wetlands and over into Arnhem Land, which is native owned and one needs a permit to enter. We saw some other amazing art in some caves in a 'lost city' area i.e stone country which has columns standing that look like buildings from a distance. Also spotted a few crocs along the river bank walk we did.

We by now after 3 nights in Kakadu had decided we had wrung the most out of it we could; amazing place, full of French tourists again, they have a thing for Aboriginal art I'm told, but if you can please come and see it....

On 5.8.10 we struck out for Darwin, which was only a few hours away from Kakadu; now Darwin I have to tell you was the one state /territory capital I had never been to and after we found a camp site about 30km outside Darwin CBD, at Coolinga, and we went to have a look. I loved it! Not much high rise and don't forget this whole place was flattened on xmas eve 1974 by Cyclone Tracey, killing 69 people; And we later found out the Japanese bombed Darwin over 60 times in WW2, killing hundreds. So to find a bright modern CBD was a bonus. There is a new area down by the harbour with new apartment and of all things, a wave pool. We figured with the croc danger a wave pool is a just what one needs on a hot day; it was 33c and sunny and Oh yeah did I say it was the Winter here??

On friday 6.8.10 we had our little van booked in for a service as it had already done 12,000 km and after it was done, we were advised to get a new muffler also; total for both : $560.50; but it had to be done as this is our home and if it aint on the road we are so screwed it aint funny... The other exciting things we had to do in Darwin was our postal vote for the General election on 21 August; We found the postal votes office at the Electoral Commission, and honestly every out of towner and his child was in their lining up to vote;;; So we did our civic duty and waited and filled in the 2 papers; Matt said he voted for the Sex party, but I cast mine for the Greens...

Next day we looked at the local market, which had about 10 stalls and was a waste to time; so once again we went to town and walked in the WW2 Storage tunnels which are built into a hillside near the Harbour; They were able to store a few million litres of fuel and were completed in 1944 when the war was near the end. There was a U.S. navy hospital ship (called 'Mercy') where there were loads of Yanks docked in the Darwin at this time taking shore leave, we bumped into a few homeboy yankee sailors and questioned them about the ship, and they happily told us it had 2000 medical staff and it could hold 1000 beds for patients.

I'll close here and try later to convey our adventures in Litchfield Nat Park NT next time

Love to all; Louise (and matt)

P.S.

We are off flying tomorrow (friday 13th) to the Bungle Bungles. "Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye"...