Northern Territory; Alice Springs to Darwin

G'day all!!!

Here I am in Darwin or better known as the Top End of the Northern Territory. It's been another amazing journey travelling all the way from Central Australia to here. I must say though the highlight was the first part of the 9-day trip.

I landed in Alice Springs or rather in the middle of nothing but arid desert. (Such a far cry from green-lush and sea-blue Cairns). The airport was only 20 minutes drive away from town. Alice Springs, there's much more in the name than the actual town. There's nothing to do or see at Alice it's just a 'stepping stone' to Australia's famous geology highlights. I did have a wander though and the most interesting thing was getting some dinner from Woollies!! Having said that, I took the driver's advice and walked up a small hill and saw a wonderful sunset. It was pretty cold, about 17degrees with a strong wind blowing.

Early next morning, i.e. 6am, we were picked up by Jeff, our Adventure Tours Australia (ATA) guide or "Goldilocks Outback cowboy". After a quick check out of Haven's hostel and 'check-in- with at ATA's office we set off on the long road. Well, into 2 hours of our drive, by which time the sun rose and the day started to get warmer we stopped for breaky at the Camel Farm. yes, a Camel Farm in the desert, of course. I was eager to ride one and managed a 5min ride or rather gallop round the yard. Was fun though, a good jolt to wake me up!!

We drove for hours until we got sight of what we thought was Uluru but was Mt. Ica. On our way and to wake us up from drive-sleep, Jeff made us pick up firewood for our camp. Finally, we got sight of Uluru or Ayres Rock, as it's otherwise known. Jeff first took us to our campsite at the Ayres Rock Resort where we had a quick lunch after which we went to visit Kata Tjuta. It's stupendous as much as Ayres Rock. We could not stop starring and taking photos but then couldn't have appreciated it more than walking in-between a few of its 26 domes as we trekked the 'Valley of the Winds'. Photos taken we rushed back just in time for sunset over the Rock. it was amazing....sorry, can't find any other adjective. As the sun descended right opposite, it changed colours from deep red to pink to purple to black. A glass of champagne just tipped the scene!

That night Jeff organised a BBQ dinner, then it was off to sleep in our swags, bed rolls used by Outback Aussies to sleep outside. it was pretty cold but I was looking forward to it, actually sleeping under the stars. Not that we saw much that night as the moon was full and shone brighter than ever. Strangely, a ring of light clouds seems to encircle it. What was even more bizarre was the eclipse early in the morning. Amazing but true!

We woke up at about 5am next morning to make way to the Rock again and witness sunrise. It was freezing cold. The sun didn't appear before about 7.30am. In the meantime, we skipped about like skippies (kangaroos) to warm ourselves! Was worth the wait though.

Jeff convinced us (and me!) not to climb the Sacred-to-Aborigines Rock. Instead we all walked around it. A 2hour walk in the cold dusty wind, which however was an insight to every facade of the Rock. I couldn't stop taking photos at every turn and change of angle. Geology at its best.


Later Jeff took us on a guided walk along the last bit where he showed us 'the kitched', the 'wave cave' (or 4 wise men cave), told us Creation Stories and showed us various Rock Art by the Aborigines. Interesting stuff! He then took us to the Culture Centre which of course was full of Art on canvas and other exhibits. But the most interesting piece for me was an Aboriginal woman trying to explain a particular painting to a tourist. She touched every bit of it; the snake, every stones and symbol it portrayed, just like a child who had been told the story and was now reciting it to an examiner. The way these people live to tell through their art is impressive. Thank God they continue to paint nowadays, only that they use canvas and other material instead of rock as their basis.

We had lunch back at camp then drove to Kings Canyon where our next destination and campsite was. After another BBQed dinner and a wonderful coldish night under the stars we started the day with a hike across the wonderful Canyon. All along Jeff told us lots about the trees, the actual rock formations and pointed out the Lost City - eroded rock domes which perfectly aligned formed the shape of an non-existant Indiana-Jones style city. The Garden of Eden served as our shady break area while the flat Walls ended our walk in style.

Next was the long drive back to Alice Springs. It total we had done about 1000km in those 3 days. Jeff did stop at times and once just for the sake of making life a bit more interesting just starting to dig up tree roots to find widgety grubs (or huge white moth larva). They would have been good over a BBQ! Unfortunately, we didn't find any except for a tiny one. The photo shows a huge one being marinated in a brandy bottle!! Yummy! :)

Once we got back at Haven's, I and whoever was on the next 3-day tour, rushed around like chooks getting our laundry done as well as cleaning ourselves off from tonnes of red dust. We had a quick sleepy dinner at the pub and got to bed for a few hours as we were up and ready to dash off at 5.20am!


Our next guide was raffian hair-&-body styled Scotty. Another great guide though. We set off on the long road again .... it was about another 1500km to Darwin along the one and only Stuart Highway. Our first half-dazed stop before the sun even rose was Tropic of Capricorn; a white line on the ground which marks the most southerly latitude at which the sun can appear directly overhead at noon. It lies 23° 26′ 22″ south of the Equator.
Our next stop was the Ti Tree - a small town main inhabitants were Aborigines who painted and crafted works of art for sale at the main art centre. Further up the road, yep, just a stone's throw away - not- was Barrow Creek, where the Telegraph station was set up and telegraph line passed through all the way into Europe, one which countries is Malta!
Our lunch stop was at Wycliffe well, or rather Alien's Town. Apparently, there were lots of UFO and alien sightings in this area, according to the numerous newspaper cuttings decorating the walls of the only roadhouse in town. It was curious and interesting though to see and read about them not to mention all the 'alien junk' stuff hanging around!

In the afternoon, Scotty drove us up to Devil's Marbles - mounts of huge round red boulders.
(Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Marbles_Conservation_Reserve - to read about the formation of these gigantic 'marbles ;) T It was as if the gods had thrown them from the sky right in the middle of nowhere and decided to play 'desert bowling' (instead of lawn bowling) whenever they felt like they wanted to. Scotty took us up one mount. With his and each other's help we climbed to the top. Not much of a view although you could see mounts within about 5km radius. When we went back down Scotty challenged us with climbing up another which was 'trickier'. It definitely was a good leg stretch after long-hours sitting in the bus! Was good laugh and fun despite the numerous ever-sticky pests - flies, flies & more flies!!

We drove on. It was becoming very warm and humid the further up north we went. Our last stop before hitting camp was Tennent Creek - a town (again in the middle of nowhere!!) which however, believe it or not with a population of around 3000 is the 5th largest in the Northern Territory. Practically this was another typical town we came across on the long desert highway. We walked about and bought some drinks for the night and took a picture of the main landmark in town!

Our campsite for that night was at the Banka Banka cattle station, well there were only horses in sight. We still got to sleep in a swag under the trees and starts that night. It was the last one though as it was getting pretty warm for a swag!


Next morning our break stop was at a roadhouse in Newcastle Waters where we adorned ourselves with the constrictor (snake) and made friends with a blue-tongue lizard! Our next big and lunch stop however, was the famous 1930s Daly Waters Pub, described as "a quintessential outback roadhouse and watering hole for travellers from far and wide." And did you know that the tiny town is also home to Australia's first international airport? Yep, believe it or not. It was used to service the first Qantas passengers on a refueling stop at Australia’s first international airfield which is still used today by the Flying Royal Doctors.
The Pub is quite something, its walls are decorated with everything from flip flops to T-shirts from all over the world, to car licence plates, to panties & bras, to IDs and photos, etc etc etc ...

But before going to the Pub, we met our local guide, Bailey, an 8-year old who spends his school holidays there with his parents. Was really cute as he walked us about the tiny town's 'backyard' and showed us a bird's nest, his pet pig, the town hall turned gym and locked us up in a cell!!!

On the road (or rather highway) once again, this time heading to Katherine Gorge. A short stop in town before we got to our campsite - the best ever yet. It stood on it's own (again in the middle of nowhere!) but this time the whole landscape was to ourselves. Couldn't stop gazing at the stars lying on a warm flat rock by the tiny fire that evening :)

The next morning, the Gorge was ours to explore either walking, cruising, canoeing or swimming. Anna, Juan, Ives and I decided to canoe and swim. It probably was the best choice even though it took a few spins before Anna and I started going upstream! But was a laugh in the end. There are about 6 gorges but we only managed to row up along one. We stopped for a lovely swim then started our way back, by which time we became canoeing experts!


Later that afternoon, Scotty took us to Mataranka for a luxury swim in the steamy thermal springs. Oh so lovely! :) We let ourselves get carried away by the gentle current while the palm trees and lush greenery at the side of the stream provide us with shade and caresses! the Edith Falls' waterhole was cold and that made us swim fast and straight into the Fall. So refreshing :) A tiny water snake played around with us as we sat on the rocks for a rest, cute! :)

It was destination Darwin for the remaining hours of our drive (I never actually got to count the number of hours...pointless, best let yourself get carried away with the 'nothingness!')
Darwin is a resort-type city catering for the tourist, of course. Dinner at the Vic pub made me want to escape into that nothingness which is all so very meaningful compared to the wasteful synthetic life in the bigger Cities. Especially, when you see Aboriginal people drunk and begging in the streets. You start wondering what makes sense; us or them or us over them or us trying to rope them into our world or them failing or not wanting to engage?????!?!?!?!??! ...oh well, food for thought.

{During my first days on this trip I read an extraordinary book about an American woman who spent 3 months crossing the desert with an Aboriginal tribe and what she went through but most importantly what she learnt...makes you think, hard!. If you're up for a trip to the Bog Oz, read it. It's called 'Mutant Message' by Morgan Moral}

Our ATA guide for Kakadu and Litchfield parks was Eleanor - a proper Outback Cowgirl, loud and all but such a lovely person. "No big bags just small ones, no space!" she yelled at 6 in the morning. She drove us in a huge 4x4 which was great, I so wish I could drive it. As the sun ascended we got to Mary River, were Eleanor left us at the mercy of the crocs (crocodiles). We saw quite a few lazing about on the sides of the river. 'For every one you see on the bank there are about 20 to 30 underneath you (i.e. in the water)!" exclaimed our river ranger. Mary river is quite impressive, not only because it practically has the largest concentration of crocs in Oz, but because life around is simply wnderful; the birds, trees and fish.

After lunch we visited the Bowali Visitor centre for some general info about Kakadu national park. then it was of to Ubirr or the Rock Art gallery. Eleanor explained the various symbolical paintings, amongst them the headless fish which is known as the cheeke fish - it lies on the bank as if dead then when you're about to catch it, it jumps to life and dives into the water. The way the Aborigines caught it was by chopping its head off, so there, job done!

After a short climb up some rocks we were welcomed by an amazing 360 degree view of what I described the 'real Austalia'. One one side you had the (Nardab) floodplains, then the outback's typical brown arid scene, then the reddish and shelf-looking rocks, then short green trees...wow..a photo could not capture all that, so I took a mini video which I hope to upload somehow.


We saw a magnificant sunset over the Yellow River...
then that night we slept at a permanent camp at Kakadu and ate skippy and buffalo sausages for dinner, yummy!! Our 4WD drive took us to Twin falls next morning. It was about 2hours of off-roading and a small river crossing, which was supposed to be croc-full! Twin Falls were quite a vista. Oh. we were so tempted to swin at the little beach at the case of the Falls but no one dared. After another jolting ride and almost scrambling over rocks, we got to the Jim Jim Falls only they were dry, being dry season (unlike all-year round Twin Waterfalls).


We didn't do much that afternoon except hit camp early. Before which though, we stopped to admire one of those gigantic 'cathedrals' (or termite mounts!) Point Stuart is a quiet campsite out of Kakadu, with lots of wallabies jumping around not to mention 'alarm-clock' birds! I enjoyed sleeping in net tents, was almost as if I slept outside just protected from insects and the animals themselves. Believe me after all these camp nights I got used to sleeping outdoors and now hate and can't sleep in the busy city (Darwin).

We spent our last day at Litchfield park. We first went to the Wangi falls for a lovely swim, followed by lunch by the motionless river then to Florence falls for one last dip. Oh, it was like a dream - you wake up still wanting for more!

And so, here I am in Darwin, at the top of the Top End (ie North Territory). it's the captial of the north Territory and has about 110,000 in population. It has a small harbour from which it conducts lots of trade with Asia due to its proximity to it via the East Timor Sea. Which infact makes my next desitnation only about a couple of hours flight away. (just to think after all these days just travelling in one HUGE country!!!)



Ciao all
wish me well in the land ringed with volcanoes...(seriously)!
hope to keep you all posted from Java, Indonesia ;)
Nicky
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