Darwin, Kakadu & Litchfield

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We arrived at our hotel The Mantra Pandanas in Darwin, settled for a bit then headed out to the night markets, how exciting...lots of music, coloured lights and people everywhere!

We happily wandered around the stalls selling lots of interesting things...crocodile teeth anyone?

The following day we hopped on a bus and went to the Botanical Gardens which were beautiful, then onto the Darwin Museum...if you ever visit Darwin this place is a must, we deceided to go back there to have another wander though and celebrate our 39th Wedding Anniversary in their delightful Cafe' out front overlooking Fannie Bay.

My Dad was stationed in Darwin during the WW2 so I had a special interest in our visit to the East Point Military Museum...certainly when we left, we had a better understanding of just what went on in Darwin Feb 1942.

Our thoughts were for all those folks in Darwin during the terrible bombing raids both for the Defence Forces and Civilians...those who lost their lives, their families, Mothers and children who were loaded onto transport and sent away for safety.


'The Japs came today. They attacked mercilessly, just like Pearl Harbour. The entire harbour was ablaze, it is a sight I will never forget'


While in Darwin we drove past the Larrakeyah Army Barracks where I think Dad may have been at that time...family history says that Dad was one of the first to see the planes coming towards Darwin...something he was reticent to speak about.

We deceided to do the APT Day Tour to Litchfield National Park...you can see Keith is all set for a day of bushwalking...what a beautiful park!

Our 3 day APT Tour to Kakadu National Park was spectacular as are most things up the Top End...where can I start?

We stayed at the 'Crocodile Resort' which from the air the building is in the shape of a croc...very interesting!

Our 4 wheel drive trip to Jim Jim Falls iand Twin Falls is something we will never forget...fair dinkum 4 wheel driving, bouncing here there and everywhere trying not to hit the window was a real feat! Must say it was a lot of fun but not something we would take up seriously!
We slipped in out and over corrugations...bounced through rivers and got stuck and thought oh no! Thank goodness our driver had done this trip many times and just took it as it was and bounded on collecting trees and shrubs along the way until we finally reached Jim Jim in one peice!

Kakadu is a magical place and it would take forever to tell you about its charms, you simply must go to Kakadu!

Our trip down the East Alligator River was scary, the water was very muddy and there were lots and lots of crocs giving us the evil eye...we had a lovely little fellow on board visiting Australia from the UK, he kept a watchful eye on the crocs and let us know when he saw one...I was sitting in the front seat and feeling terrified every time he stood up to look closer!

The place we loved the most in Kakadu was our Yellow Water Cruise...all those birds singing, crocs peeking at us and the Jabiru's walking through countless water lillies is a sight to remember!

'A place of intrigue;
the remote frontier, tropical, exotic, dangerous -
a rich imagined place in the Australian consciousness'

Darwin

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