Day 17
Kakadu National Park: Girls Road Trip.
It actually started with a bit of Herz car nonsense.
Good Friday and all shops and 99% breakfast bars closed. Australia embraces its National holidays: 99% close down. HERZ is attached to main shopping Mall and has its door on the main street. The Herz shop had no Air Conditioning because everything in the Mall is shut- no doors in or out of Mall therefore the A.C. is OFF. The Herz lady -very professional but concerned she’ll be unwell due to no AC. Lady sorted paperwork for car; No Access into Mall to get lift to hire car on 8th level.
So we walked up the first four levels to get to internal lift inside Mall Car park, (hope you’re still with me). Got in lift-(hire car on 8th floor) lift door closed and would not go anywhere. Thank Christ doors opened otherwise only death as Mall closed for Easter, so we walked back to street level. (34°) and Rachel and I stayed put!
First Treat.
Once we drove out of Darwin we stopped after an hour at Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve where we witnessed Rangers collecting a trapped croc. in the Wetlands.
We saw them, from a distance, tape its mouth, cover its eyes and legs, then they brought it back to land and allowed us few tourists to touch and take photos. Another very welcome experience. Think they were taking it to a Croc Farm for tagging and whatever. I think many go on to be handbags.
Vital info for overcooked, foolish or any tourist:
CROCS: No.1 on Food Chain in Northern Territory. Do not ignore road signs!
Once we set off again Rachel and I had been talking about asking Angels and Guides to help us in enjoying our day. Well I mentioned it and I also told her about a phrase I use, when I remember:
How can it get better than this?
Second Treat.
To prove this point of ‘ How can it get any better?’ our next outing allowed us to see something quite spectacular. I was the one who saw it first and let the rest of the group know too. It happened on our Nourlangie visit.
The official guided tours are not available on the days we are here. But we met up with 2 private tours. A handful of people not masses of them. This is still the Wet Season so few tourists; very busy in Dry Season when temperature and humidity are better. We listened in and heard marvellous facts and stories.
To my sighting.
We opted to do a climb to a Lookout and nearby I spottted a black wallaby. The Guide was fairly gobsmacked and told everyone to look as he had never seen a black wallaby in his 4 years as a guide in this area. It was perfectly happy to be about 30m from us; just went about its business.
We drove on afterwards and checked in at Collinda Lodge, had a pleasant swim and ate dinner. The little complex is good, basic but good.
The food for dinner was fairly basic-stuff easily put together and reheated. Not great. We had choice but my fish and chips had a sense of deja vu – like Findus from years ago. Plus expensive but they have the Monopoly as nowhere else within half an hour.
An early start tomorrow- 5.30 rise for Yellow River Sunrise Cruise. Looking forward…….
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