to Darwin and back: 18/07-20/07

Wed, 18/07/07
-> Gunlom Falls 4097 km,
fantastic water holes,
nice swimming under the fall,
meet couple from WA,
not too crowded,
see lizard
--> Alligator River very dangerous
--> Kambolgie Creek
-> Bukbukluk 4146 km,
what a name!,
meet German couple from Edit Falls again
-> Mardugal 4227 km,
go to billabong but afraid of crocodiles,
shower there illegally,
-> Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre 4229 km,
meet couple from WA again,
K. moody, is afraid of being captured because of the shower,
good introduction to Aboriginal living
-> Yellow Waters 4231 km,
great billabong with lots of birds
-> Cooinda 4232 km, 152$/l
-> Jim Jim Billabong 4242 km
-> Gubara 4290 km,
lone camping with bats and crocodiles nearby,
K. panics and tries to run away,
stay and try to survive the night,
leave first thing in the morning,
animals eat parts of the bread

Thu, 19/07/07
-> Anbangbang Billabong 4317 km,
observe birds,
M. apparently too loud for bird watching
-> Nourlangie Rock Art Sites 4319 km,
some nice paintings,
'talks' by rangers quite trivial
-> Jabiru 4349 km,
buy apples and post cards,
bigger city but not worth the detour
-> Guluyambi 4398 km
-> Bardedjilidji Sandstone Walk 4398 km,
nice rocks,
very near to the water...,
wallabies and strangest grasshoppers
-> Ubirr Rock Art Sites 4404 km,
best Aboriginal Art so far, still not too impressive,
beautiful outlook on Arnhem Land,
looks as if this Aboriginal community actually works
-> Manngarre Rainforest Walk 4406 km, seasonal closed
-> Mamukala 4473 km,
bird watching station, very relaxed
--> leave Kakadu National Park
--> South Alligator,
--> Mary River, apparently highest crocodile population in the world
-> Termite Mounds 4605 km, not too bad
-> Corroboree Station 4611 km, 1.46$/l
--> Adelaide River Bridge
--> Fogg Dam, see long-necked turtle
--> Stuart Highway (back again!)
-> Darwin 4737 km, 1.24$/l,

beach in the evening very crowded because of the Mindil Market,
sleep in Hidden Valley Tourist Park,
city inhabited by tourists

Fri, 20/07/07
-> Casuarina Beach, spend half of the day there
-> again Mindil Beach
-> Palmerston Market 4839 km,
nice little market,
crazy birds on the trees,
Aboriginal dancers,
anoter night in the Hidden Valley