Saturday 17th September

Hi Everyone, I have to keep looking at the phone to see what day it is, you tend to lose track, which is so relaxing. And I can't seem to remember more than a day ago, so I am glad that I am writing things down in the journal.

Days 27 & 28 Darwin
Days 29 & 30 Litchfield National Park
Day 31 Gregory National Park

The first couple of days in darwin were so muggy from the humidity, we didn't do much bet get cranky! Or maybe that was just me! Paul tried to catch some fish in the Darwin Harbour on a Fishing Charter, but only caught a couple of undersized tiddlers.  We went to the Mindil Markets twice as the food is so good and cheap (I can highly recommend the green pawpaw salad, absolutely wonderful and refreshing) and the Parap Markets on the Saturday morning. The sun setting over Mindil Beach was fantastic

We went on a cruise on the Corroboree Billabong which is about 90 minutes East from Darwin towards Kakadu. We saw heaps of Freshwater & Saltwater Crocs, Jabiru & heaps of birdlife. We saw plenty of anglers trying to catch the elusive barramundi, but by what we hear, they are a pretty hard fish to catch. The Afternoon was great and we got so close to the Crocs, but being in the security of the boat. We had lunch nested in amongst the Lotus flowers.

Then we left Darwin to head down the road to Litchfield National Park. We were lucky that we got there before midday as we managed to get a bush camp at Wangi Falls (which only has about 30 spaces) as the grand cost of $13.20 per night.  Paul went for a swim in the Falls (I am still a bit of scaredy cat of the water) and in the afternoon, we just watched all the cars go by our campsite looking for a free spot. We felt very lucky!  There are so many huge black cockatoos around, that they are noisy, but they strip all the trees with their strong beaks.

I ventured in for a bit of dip at 6.30pm to cool down a bit. But this was on the safety of Paul's shoulders! I was kind of alright, until I realised how dark the water was and when we got into the middle there was small bubbles coming up from the bottom and after my croc cruise the day before, i know that bubbles come from crocs! Well I nearly walked on water to get out and that was enough for me. But I knew that there wasn't any crocs in the waterhole!

We ended up putting the netting outside the van as the Mrach flies and Bush flies were starting to get to me

Even though it can get warm, it seems that there is always a lovely breeze and it cools down at night, so we can manage to get a good night's sleep.

Next day we did the tourist drive and went to Greenant Creek, Tolmer Falls, Buley Rockhole & Florence Falls. But the best was the Rockhole, even I sild across the rocks on my bum and got into one of the lovely holes to cool off

We ended up going down a 4wd track (20k return) and again on red corrugated dirt, to go and see the lost city, it was great at the end, but the batter terminal came loose and we could only unlock the car and nothing else worked. It is a good thing that Paul knows alot about this car, so he did a process of elimination and finally got it sorted. What an afternoon!

We then left Litchifeld to head back to Katherine, to head west to the WA border. We ended up at Gregory National Park at a Free camp, but the flies and midgies were unbearable.

As no one else was around, Paul started practising his technique on the didgeridoo, to me it looks like he is pumping up the tire, as he is full of hot air....did I really type that!!!

There were so many midgies coming in that night to the LED light, that I had to completely shut the van up and start frying them with the Tennis Racquet Zapper. It sounded like a thousand electric shocks zapping the midgies!  All for a good nights sleep!