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Published: April 14th 2006
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Hello all!
I have just had an amazing three days in Kakadu National Park with Pat from Kakadu 4wd safaris! Having not really planned anything in Darwin, or really realising there was anything interesting to do in Darwin, we were convinced by several people we met along the way that Kakadu was wortha visit. Unfortunately when we arrived in Darwin we were told there had been large amounts of flooding and that Katherine (a town near the park) was totally under with water and people were being evacuated out of there! Never-the-less we decided to book a tour and experience what we could of the park which we could get to through the water. We spent three days wandering around Darwin waiting for Sunday to arrive so we could start our tour. When to day came we had an early start being greeted by pat at 6.30 in the morning. However the vision of Pat with his massive beard and funny felt hat was enough to cheer me up even at such an early hour! We jumped into the four wheel drive to meet two Danish couples; Nadia and jacob, and Steena and Morten along with an English couple Matta dn
Lovely rock pool!
Our first stop on the trip! Trudy and a lone German girl Doris. Again, we had managed to get ourselves on a trip with a doctor - this time four! All the Danish are training to be doctors; although sadly they informed us they didnt have a clue how to treat snake, spider or crocodile bites!
After a few hours of driving we stopped at the side of the road and were sent off into the surrounding trees to collect fire wood for our camp fire! We all went off carefully watching our feet for snakes and spiders! WE collected an impressive amount and then tied it to the top of our trailer with several impressive hitch knots - we were now prepared for the evening. The next stop was a beautiful rock hole Pat told us we could swim in. Pat told us we could swim there, but we did have to walk past a VERY large sign saying: WARNING estuarine and Freshwater crocodiles may inhabit this area. Great. This is after a conversation in the car about the german girl who was eaten by a crocodile in Kakadu when their guide had told them a pool was safe to swim in and she
got eaten. However we were all fine - if a bit scared !. Although there were no crocodiles, there was a man swimming naked with his friends for some reason, climbing up rocks and jumping off to give us all a display! He must have taken 'getting back to nature'a bit too literally! After we recovered from the naked man shock we were back on our way towards the campsite. Suddenly Pat started driving really slowly back up the stretch of road we had just been down. He stopped, jumped out and said 'come on!' He waded into the bush and started violently shaking this tree... and then plop! A seemingly dead Frilly Dragon dropped into his hands which he was cooing at in 'black fella talk' as he called it! He was lovely with a big frill all around his head - he really looked like something out of Jurassic park! God knows how Pat had seen him from the road - magic Bushman I spose! After lunch we headed to the three tier boulder Creek falls.
We trekked about 1 Km through the bush and over some rocks to the start of these beautiful falls flowing into
each other. WE had to do some pretty hair raising climbing up rocks to get to the top but the crystal clear waters were worth it. Infact the waterfalls were so strong after the floods it was a bit like a jacquzzi in there! After a couple of houirs lazing around we went back to the camp for sunset. The 'campsite' was very basic - only had a pit loo, but Pat thought it was pretty cushy to have that! We dined on kangeroo cooked over the fire whilst we had a go at playing the didgerdoo - I was pretty good for a beginner! You'll be pleased to know I havent bought one though! We slept out under the stars, which were so bright - maybe a bit too bright! Everyone was so scared of snakes and spiders they were totally wrapped in their sleeping bags with their eyes tight shut, and then got so hot no one could sleep, but darent poke any limbs out!
Monday was a long trek through the bush - well it was more of a jog trying to keep up with Pat! He took us to the 'Hunter dreaming' rock art site
to look at a 40 000 year old painting - well that was the oldest but there were lots there, some painted on with blood. It was pretty incredible to think they've survived such a long time! After that he took us up to see a 360 degree view of the area which was amazing, but the climb up there was worse than the day before - I can't believe I managed not to fall! From the top we spotted the rare black wallerby hopping about in the rocks which apparently is really unusual to see.
The pace relented in the afternoon with a stop at Wallerby falls for a dip where Pat pulled out a water gooana and we all ran out the water until he coaxed back in - he then let him swim off right over my feet! It was then on to the younger rock art site Burrengi - which has some very famous large rock paintings. Pat told us the stories behind the art - about Narbulwinbulwin who has two penises and bashes girls on the head with yams and then eats them! And Bilk Bilk who cut of his massive penis to give the aboriginees a didgeridoo. What fun!
That night everyone else wimped out of sleeping outside so Fran and I didnt fancy it on our own. However, I did manage to get bitten much more inside the tent than out in the open! I think they were having a go on the pit loo as well!
Dinner was Kangeroo stew with mash and more stories and a bit more wine to get over another early start!
Tuesday we were awoken at 5am again - urgh and whizzed off to walk to 'Motor Car falls' before the sun got up too strong. The walk was still flipping hot! The falls were very beautiful though, and the water was so deep it was inky black and very cold! After we had returned and packed up camp we sety off for the Adalaide river to do a crocodile cruise. The boat we were on was disturbingly small, but unfortunately we only saw 2 crocodiles; one was about 3.7 metres and pretty scary - the other was only a baby. Im certainly glad we didnt see any out of the boat - everywhere around was so flooded apparantly walking through any wetland is pretty dangerous! Although Pat did wade through a bit of the river to get the boat for us as the jetty was under the water - it was too dangerous for us to do it- maybe he thought we looked tastier than Pat!
We pulled up the car on the way home to watch the sunset over the wetlands before arriving back in Darwin.
The next day after a blissful night in a bed we met up with Pat for a drink and whiled away our last day in Darwin washing and getting ready to leave.
We are now in cairns where we have been for two days. Tmrw we are going on a trip to the barrier reef weather permitting. We have also booked a three day boat cruise around the Whitsundays - can't wait!
Hope you are all well
Lots of love
Baggy
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