The Top End

Four days around Darwin is enough!  A city that spreads to similar dimensions as Sydney, right across flat landscape.  I found the downtown area with its strip of park land very clean, green and well looked after.  There is also a swimming pool near the wharf with a wave making machine that seems to be very popular with Darwin kids riding their boogie boards in this make-believe surf.

The Deckchair movie theatre where you can watch a movie under the stars, right outside in a garden environment.  Even though we are now in the "Dry Season" the temperatures are always in the mid thirties, the humidity fairly high, both contributing to a rather uncomfortable way to spend your day.  Air conditioning a definite must-have if you want to have some comfort, particularly at night for sleeping comfort.

Sunrise at Pussycat Flats

While staying at Darwin there was also a training exercise going on with the Australian Air force, constant take-offs and landings of Fighter aircraft that do not need to adhere to any noise restrictions applying to all commercial aircraft.  As a result, the stay at Darwin was most unpleasant, glad to get out of town again, south toward more appealing surrounds.

I have ordered some more ink cartridges for my printer, to be forwarded to Katherine, so for now I am taking a rest at Pussycat Flats, still about 90km north of Katherine, among some peace and quiet once again, to wait until Monday to collect my mail at Katherine.  Eckhard and Suki are also waiting for some mail so we decided to stay up here for a few more days.

More info on Pine Creek, near Pussycat Flats


In case you are interested, I have also just setup a photo album about my trip that you can view under the following link: Some stunning images I have photograped, view them in full screen view.

A very funny story...

A young family from France has setup next to me at Katherine, Mum, Dad and a little boy about 4 and his older sister, about 7 years old.  Nice and friendly family, the kids well behaved, playing with simple toys on the breakfast table.

My French language skills (if you can call it that) do need some practice, so this should be an interesting way to do just that.  As it turns out, I find that I understand quite a lot of what he tells me, apart from his name which is Christian.  They are in Australia for about 8 weeks to explore the north and west.  They have two foam rubber mattresses from their van outside in the sun and I ask if they got wet.

It turns out that the sleeping arrangements are that both kids sleep in the bunk above the parents' bed.  He tells me that he has been awakened this morning by something warm running onto his face, well, the little boy had decided to wet himself and as a result, his dad got pissed on by his son.

This explained why the foam rubber mattrasses had to be washed and dried in the sun.

So, there you have it.  I think its very funny indeed.

 >
>
>
>
>
>
>

Scroll down..............
>
>
>
>
>
>

Katherine, delayed mail delivery, catching up with friends, Katherine Gorge

They say, time flies when you are having fun!  Well, I would not exactly call it "fun" having to wait for a week to collect my forwarded mail which was supposed to be sent to Katherine Post Office.  After several visits to the Post Office and a few calls to the Service Centre, I finally established that my mail had been redirected to Darwin, simply because my Post Office in Sydney had not addressed it correctly.

We also drove around to the Railway Station as the "Ghan" trained had just stopped on the way back to Alice Springs from Darwin.  The train is about 700m long, pulled by a large Diesel / Electric Engine.  Not a bad way to travel.

The Ghan at Katherine

 Kayaks for rent if you want to find your own way up the gorge.

I had been waiting for Eckhard and Suki to catch up with me anyway so I had some easy days, relaxing, some bike riding, shopping etc.  After they arrived we did the breakfast cruise through Katherine Gorge, a very nice experience yet again drifting up the gorge as the day begins....

 What a way to start the day, gliding up the gorge

After picking up my mail (finally) on Monday morning, I am on the road again toward Litchfield National Park again, having discovered that a new area had just been opened there which we all want to take a look at.  We stop on the way at Pine Creek again because its such a relaxing place to be

Adelaide River and Pine Creek

When I leave Litchfield NP I am driving south again, only about 80km to Adelaide River, a Roadhouse fuel stop and a few shops.  I follow the signage to the Racecourse where I find a nice Caravan Park by the side of the race track.  All is green lawns, only some smoke at the edge of the race track where some backburning of undergrowth is taking place.  The light breeze is keeping most of the smoke away from the camping area.  Backburning is a precautionary measure to burn off undergrowth and brush while the ground is still moist enough to help prevent the small fires to spread and develop into large, all-destroying blazes.  Each year different parts are backburned so as to allow some habitat for wildlife to remain.

A good sense of humour prevails

I am told that during the 'wet' season most of the race track is under water but now water sprinklers are going at several points to keep everything nice and green.  Apart from a number of large termite mounds, it looks much like other race tracks.

When I leave in the morning I have marked out a place called "Pussy Cat Flats" just outside the town of Pine Creek.  It turns out to be yet another race track but also comprises a Golf course and a fenced area in the centre used for Rodeos but the sign says "Pine Creek Turf Club".  All this infrastructure for just ONE race meeting a year.  Someone must be KEEN!

Looking down the track at Pine Creek Race course

Well, anything for a thrill.  Under a bunch of undergrowth and some shrubs I find a small statue of Buddha that is nearly falling over on its face.  I 'rescue' it, take a brush and some water to it to get rid of layers of dirt and sand and find a more prominent place under some small palm trees.

Darwin and on to Litchfield National Park

Road noise has been increasing and a clicking sound when I drive slowly, seemingly coming from my right front wheel, has prompted me to get that checked at Katherine.  Result: a noisy front wheel bearing that should be replaced sooner rather than later.  Unfortunately this part is not available at Katherine but could be obtained at Darwin.

On my way north toward Darwin I stop off at Edith Falls a great camp area located by the side of a lake which is fed by a waterfall, great spot but the water is rather fresh, so I leave that to the young people who don't seem to mind.  Thhe viciniere are also fresh water crocodiles hiding somewhere in the vicinity.

The lake at Edith Falls

In the morning I am on my way again to continue my journey to Darwin.  I pick up my replacement bearing and then track down a mechanic who will change it for me the following morning.  I am staying again at the Lee Point Caravan Park where I stayed last year.  In the afternoon I catch up with my friends John and Michelle and together we check out the sunset over Fannie Bay before going to the Deckchair Theatre where we watch a swedish movie called "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".  A great movie!

In the morning I am on my way to the mechanic where my bearing is replaced.  I am on my way again about 10.30 heading south to drive to Litchfield National Park where I spend three very relaxing nights with evening campfires and great conversations with fellow travellers.  More Info on Litchfield National Park...

Wangi Falls at Litchfield National Park

Backburning near Adelaide River

On my travels across the North, "the Top End" as its called by Australians, I have seen thousands of Termite mounds of various sizes and shapes.  So around Litchfield I notice that the mounds up here are a quite different shape than some of those I saw in Western Australia looking like "Big Mamas" with many drooping appendages around the mounds, looking like gigantic breasts.  The best way I can describe those in the Darwin area is that they are usually quite tall and all seem to have "cooling vanes" as part of their construction, to increase their surface area.  Whether that is the purpose I really do not know.