Litchfield and Kakadu

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So it turns out that they have heard of the internet in Kakadu National Park! I'm in an air conditioned shop (hurrah) waiting for my laundry to dry and have just enough time to update you all on the last couple of days.

I started my tour on Monday and it's been brilliant so far. Our first stop was a swim in a beautiful lake in Litchfield National Park which was a great icebreaker! The lake had a huge waterfall thundering into it and the water was lovely and cool. I couldn't swim hard enough against the current to get up to the waterfall, so I just lay at the other end and chatted to one of the other girls, loving the fact that for once I wasn't sweating buckets! A brilliant experience.

After that we carried on to another waterfall for lunch. Our tour guides, Luke and Michelle, are really friendly and Michelle is a great cook so all the food has been delicious so far. While we were eating a blue winged kookaburra sat in the tree next to us for half an hour!

That evening we drove out to East Point Reserve which is a park by the harbour on the edge of Darwin. Michelle produced a platter of cheese, tomatoes, olives and crackers, and we took our own drinks and had a very civilised wine and cheese party while watching the sun set pinkly over the water. Gorgeous! I bought two bottles of Hardy's chardonnay for 4.85 (can't do pound signs) which was a total bargain, and half a bottle helped me feel very happy to be alive. We then carried on to a surf and turf place for dinner, where I had crocodile schnitzel! It tasted, as the cliche says, just like chicken.

Yesterday was a very icky day as we drove to Nourlangie Rock in the Kakadu National Park to look at Aboriginal cave paintings. The sun was beating down and we were all literally dripping. A cruise on the Yellow River and surrounding billabongs soon revived us though, and we saw a huge crocodile sitting on the bank as well as storks, sea eagles and kingfishers. (Mum, I took photos for you!)

The evening's shower was a wonderful thing, and feeling human again we all sat down for a delicious three course meal cooked by Michelle. Thai soup, perch with salad and Lamingtons (a famous Australian sponge cake) all went down very nicely and afterwards we all tried to play the didgeridoo. I was rubbish!

Today we have a lazy day, although we might go to see more cave paintings this afternoon if the water's receded enough to make the road passable. Tomorrow we're off again somewhere new, further into the centre of Australia. I'll try to post again as soon as I can but the days are often very busy here so it may not be possible for a while. Hope everyone's well and enjoying the snow back in England!

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Comments

[Juicy]

Misreading!
I had to do a double take of your entry just now... I read "While we were eating a blue winged kookaburra" and didn't get to the end of the sentence. I know you're likely to try interesting food out there but I wasn't expecting that! Hehee, must stay off the gin at work... All sounds amazing by the way! It's raining here. Boo.

[Robin]

Kakadu tour
Hi, could you tell me which tour company you used for Kakadu/Litchfield - sounded great! Thanks so much. Robin.

[hyuqy]

Re: Kakadu
Hi Robin! I did my entire Northern Territory tour through Connections Adventures which is one of the companies used by STA Travel. They're brilliant - more expensive than some but you get most of your food and all your accommodation included, as well as national park entry fees and various activities. I think their website is www.connections.travel. Hope you enjoy the north!