Week 20 Update: Mataranka

Quick update!

We are in Mataranka spending time with Taren and Malcolm, doing some barra fishing and dipping in the warm thermal pools.

We stayed at Edith Falls the night before. I had my first attempt of trail running on the 8.6km track to the Sweetwater pools. It is dangerous but addictive and enjoyable.

Total km count: 22635km!

Sweetwater Pools at Edith Falls, Katherine

Thermal Pools in Mataranka. A constant 34C all year round.

Boris the Bullet Dodger (Hlavica)

The Lost City, Litchfield

We were sad to leave Darwin and to say goodbye to Kel, willo and black bean. Thanks for a great time! We then ventured into Litchfield National Park. It is famous for its magnetic termite mounds and beautiful waterfalls and it did not disapoint.

Magnetic Termite Mounds

Waterfalls

Mark with the Tripod

We swam in the plunge pools, bush walked through the spooky collection of rocks called the lost city and went skinny dipping. We were determined to use our photography skills to get se of those perfect water fall shots. You know the one...where the shutter speed is left open and the water looks like mist. It is this ambition that has led me to dedicate this post to Boris Hlavica our photography teacher and excellent photographer from Broken Hill. It is Boris who taught us that some shots are BORING! The light must be right and sometimes you have to camp on a hill for 5 days.

To see some of Boris' amazing photography just click the link.

http://www.imagesofaustralia.com.au/

We did not quite camp but we did end up waiste deep with our tripod in the water. After lots of giggles and a few slippery moments we thought we had some good shots. What do you think?

Olive Python

 It was on return from our waterfall exploits that this big mumma python frightened the hell out of us! After our initial shock we watched this 3m python in awe. He was beautiful.

Litchfield was very accessible, even to 2wd. It is a must.

Next we are off to see Taz and Mal! Excitement!!!

Love krystal

Kakadu is fantastic!

Gumlong Falls Kakadu

  

 

            Kakadu du du!

We ventured into Kaladu and the level of excitement in the car was off the charts! We had been looking forward to Kakadu National Park since leaving home and we were pumped.

I was going to use my Croc Dundee hypmotising trick, you know the one!

Amazing Art

 At this time of year the Jim Jim area of kakadu is usually closed. This was disappointing but luckily most other areas were open. Kakadu is a huge national park with a diverse landscape with so much to do. It pays to plan and research to get the most out of your trip.

We visited a fantastic bird hide where all manner of birds and lilly pads can be viewed. It was magic. Speaking of magic the whole of kakadu has a magic feeling. It is such a special place, the never never. It gives you a feeling that this is a spiritual place, a place that is not only beautiful but magical.. We are so lucky to be able to visit.

The ancient rock art in kakadu is also fantastic. With over 7000 sites in the park it is the best in Australia. There is even a painting of a tasi tiger that, was at one stage, on the mainland. The history, the stories and the records are recorded for us to see on the rock walls in Kakadu.

We camped in the camp grounds in the park which were excellent with toilets and showers. They are $10 a night per person which includes the mosquitos. The mozzies are so bad when we laid in the tent to sleep we could hear them buzzing outside, trying to get in. It was aweful. The mozzies like Mark much more than they like me so he is now painted in calomine lotion. They were so terrible to deal with that we tried sleeping in the car after we killed the many that were camped in there. This was a fruitless mission however, as it was to hot to stay in the car and the mosquitoes seemed to find their way in anyway.

We did lots of bush walking and splashed outing a cruise. It was a cruise on Yellow Water Billabong and was worth every cent. We saw so many animals including crocodiles and brolgas. It was fantastic to see the sun rise over this amazing water way.

We visited gumlong camp ground and waterfall which is a less visited site in Kakadu as it is down a dirt road. It was amazing and we spent a good amount of time sun baking and going for a dip when we were hot.

Yellow River Cruise

Kakadu was amazing and was well worth the entry fee. On the way into the park we were stopped to do a survey. One of the questions was:
"How did you hear about Kakadu?"

The answer was "...well...I have always known about it, its just one of those things...right?"



I think that is the reason that it is worth the effort to visit the National Park. It lives up to its reputation and is truly magical.

Love Krystal

Week 19: Kakadu, not Kakadon't

This week we visited Kakadu NP. Krystal will fill you in about this amazing place. It is truly the big brother of National Parks in Australia. It is home to ridiculous amounts of wildlife and Aboriginal rock art. So full of life, that when you pee in the bush, frogs get out of the way.

The park is not for the feint hearted as it makes you experience nature and you cannot escape it. There are fires burning constantly so you are guaranteed to smell of smoke. There is the hot and humid conditions so you are guaranteed to sweat and become uncomfortable. To see its beauty you need to get out and walk the paths so you cannot be lazy. And the mozzies.... you are guaranteed to be bitten. The mozzies are so numerous and so vicious that citronella candles make no effect. By nightfall, you are walking through swarms of mozzies that can go through your shirt. We chose to tent it and you can hear the mozzies as if you were next to a bee hive.

It seems that Kakadu has a reputation amongst the grey nomads that it's a Kaka-don't and not worth the trip. It is a shame that some cannot be bothered to get out of the car and explore the place. Although it could be difficult for some to navigate the rocky paths there are plenty of places that have carparks for lazy people. For me, it is the ultimate for nature experiences. I'll leave you with a few photos from our boat cruise along the Alligator River. 

Km Traveled: about another 500km

Places visited: Darwin, Kakadu NP, Gunn Point

Highlights: Mindil Beach Markets, Kakadu!!, Gunn Point (a quiet beach just outside of Darwin where you can camp)
Lowlights: mozzies in Kakadu

Next Week: Litchfield NP, Edith Falls again, down towards Tennant Creek

Some amazing Magpie Geese waiting for dawn.

A sea eagle in flight.

The first croc on the cruise.

Very fortunate to see some beautiful brolgas.

Showoff!

Water Pandanus

Watch a Sunset in Darwin or in Your Backyard!

Menu at Howard Springs

Darwin is just fantabulous! The weather is warm with a slight breeze for comfort, the sky clear and the people friendly in a territorian kinda way.










We have been so very lucky to have the pleasure of staying with Kel and Willo and it has been wonderful getting to know them better and sharing in their baby joy. The best parts of our trip have been the oportunities to get back in touch with and get to know friends and family that live far away. So often we loose touch and get lost in our busy lives. We feel lucky to have had the opportunity to share meals, sight seeing and camping with some of our friends. Thank you!

Doing a 'death roll' with a croc

Darwin in a small capital city and the vibe is relaxed and laid back. We spent the first few days looking around town, eating at 'My Friends Kitchen' where they make great Pho, and generally relaxing.

Willo's Roast

Willo has cooked us some wonderful meals and I think he should have a go at the next master Chef. They have been delish!

A visit to the Chinese Museum and Temple

A highlight of our time in Darwin was camping at Gunn Point with Kel, Willo and Black Bean their dog. Gunn Point is a free camp site right on the beach. Literally it is ON the beach! It is so beautiful that when we were setting up and cooking dinner I had to pinch myself to check it was real. We watched the sun set over the water with not a soul about but us.

Car...nage

Gunn Point

 As I popped my head out of the tent the next morning the view that greeted us was sunrise, sand and clear blue water as far as you can see. It was so great to camp with another couple that shared our interests and were so laid back. We felt like we had a holiday from our holiday, or maybe just a little holiday from each other which was great! When you spend every moment together you forget how nice it is to have others to talk to!

Mindle Beach Sunset

 Mindle Beach Markets were also a highlight and a Darwin MUST DO. They are the best markets in Australia. There is a wide range of international food that is excellent and cheap as well as clothes, crocodile products, art. diges and anything else you can think of.


One of the coolest things about the markets is that everyone goes down to the beach to see the sun go down over the water. Every day there are people to watch this magic happen before them and they are never disappointed. The sun sets and the colours are wonderful and it does not matter who you are, how much money you have, what you are doing or what you look like the sunset is the same for everyone. There are no cheap seats and indeed no charge at all for this magic, it is given to us for free. So one day this week allow a few minutes to watch the sun sink. For you it might sink over a building, over roofs of your neighbors or over the Mandagery. Where ever you are make sure you take a moment to enjoy this amazing show that is put on for free each day.

Mindle Beach

I love hearing Kel and Willo talk about Darwin's seasons. They are very intune with the weather as it effects their lives so deeply in this wild place. It has inspired me to want to spend 12 months up here just to experience some of what they are talking about. To sweat through a build up and squwelch through a wet, to see the smoke in the air when everything is burnt off and to have a beer on Mindle Beach as the sun sets in the dry. Living here for 12 months is on my to do list.

Mark, Kel and Willo 2 Mindle Beach Markets

Kakadu gets its own post as only the BEST National Park in Australia should so stay tuned for that!

A big thanks to Kel, Willo, Baby Willis and Black Bean for their amazing hospitality! XXXXX






Love Krystal  



 

Week 18: Off the Grid since Broome

It has been another two weeks since my regular update because of a lack of reception and I will do my best to reflect on where we have been. This part of Australia is very isolated and towns are very far apart from each other.

Since the debacle in Broome and $1800 in repairs behind us we just wanted to move on. We've been stopping at rest stops and decided not to go down the beaten track to see Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek. We just lost confidence in the car. Instead we stopped at Geike Gorge National Park just outside of Fitzroy Crossing. Geike Gorge was very pretty and I have pledged to do the Gibb River Road in the future. Next town was Halls Creek, notorious for its social problems but it didn't seem like that. It's also the gateway to the Bungle Bungles and Wolfe Creek Crater. Again, we chose not to go onto dirt roads.

Kununurra was next. It's the last town before the border to NT and is famous for its Argyle diamonds. Only 2km out is Mirima National Park which has similar formations to the Bungle Bungles. It's a bit behind in Kununurra and human rights isn't its forte when the council is planning to use high pitched signals to ward off teenagers at the shopping centre. Might as well sack anyone that's old. Google mosquito speakers for more info.

We crossed the border and visited the bitumen parts of Gregory NP. It contained some very cool landscapes and ancient Aboriginal rock art. You know you are in the NT when the speed limit changes to 130 - makes for highly dangerous drivers. We nearly got taken out by an oncoming truck on a bridge crossing, the driver was unable to control his speed and crossed the double lines. We came to a screeching slow down just to avoid the situation. There are also fires occurring everywhere during the dry season.

Katherine was next. It is home to Nitmiluk NP and famous for its gorges, crocs and wildlife. A truly amazing national park with plenty of walks, swimming holes (with and without crocs) and animal sightings. You can choose to be in the resort or choose to camp out in a more isolated region to suit your wants. Within Katherine, there are natural spring fed pools that are constantly at 32C. Very nice when you need a bit of a shower...

We entered Darwin, where Krystal's friends Kelly and Willo are currently hosting us. Very grateful to have another roof over our heads again. We have been to Darwin before and find that Darwin (and the NT) has this magical charm for us.

Km travelled since Broome: 2070km (total: around 20000km! 5000 more until we live up to the title of the blog)
Big highlights: Nitmiluk NP, Katherine spring pools, Darwin, Aboriginal rock art, rest stops in WA
Some lowlights: poor driving NT - 130km/hr speed limit encourages dangerous driving, fly rage, tardy updates - sorry folks.

After scrambling over some rocks, you can get a view right into the middle of the gorge in Nitmiluk.

The gorge is teeming with wildlife in Nitmiluk, you can literally get a net and scoop fish out. Check out the size of this turtle!

Can you spot the Western Brown Snake? (not a taipan)

Sunset at Edith Falls, Nitmiluk

Kelly and Willo's dog, Blackbean. My favourite dog after Ormiston.

Katherine Gorge and Edith Falls

Katherine gorge or Nitmulik National Park is a must do NT adventure. There are many options for camping and lots to do and it was tricky to get a hold of clear info on either subject.

We spent the first night in the caravan park at Katherine Gorge. It was expensive and only ok in terms of facilities. You can do boat tours of Latherine Gorge but we decided to do a 12km return walk to butterfly gorge. As you can imagine I had high hopes for this gorge with images of swarms of butterflies flying around me. I was not disappointed. As we hiked lower and further into the gorge it got cooler and darker. From 32 degrees it was a relief from the heat. With huge rock rising either side of us the butterflies started to appear, flying around our heads. Amazing!

Once we reached the gorge mark climbed down to the waters edge as I prayed we would not have a Crocodile Dundee repeat. There was no swimming as the gorge had crocs in it so my fears were not unfounded. We saw lots of fish and turtles as well as 2 snakes! The walk was wonderful and I can highly recommend it.

 We stayed last night at Edith falls which is still niulik national park but is more bush camping. It was inexpensive with great camp sites and excellent facilities. I recommend it over Katherine gorge caravan park. This morning we did a short walk of 3 km to Edith Falls. It was spectacular. Huge amounts of water pounding down a gorge, so clear you can see the bottom. Cool and beautiful as it makes it's way like an avalanche through the hills. Fantastic.

We are off to Darwin now to see Kel and willo! Can't wait.

 Love krystal

An Angel!!!!