A Town like Alice

Here briefly in Alice Springs and trying to do a very quick update from another very SLOOOOOW dial-up connection. It seems like every web site and every bit of software (including Windows Vista) assumes that you have a fast broadband link.

Not enough time to catch up on everything since the last post. Suffice it to say that we're continuing to have superb times, weather and experiences - and now starting to contemplate our (relatively imminent) return to the real workaday world.

We've had four nights staying with our friends Ann and David in Darwin, a day trip to the Tiwi Islands, a couple of nights in Litchfield National Park, one night each in Victoria River Crossing, Dunmarra, Devis Marbles, and now three nights here in Alice Springs.

Some selected highlights:

• John Butler Trio concert in the Darwin Botanic Gardens
• winning (big time!) at our first-ever trip to the racetrack
  
• fine meals at the Hanuman restaurants (one each in both Darwin and Alice)
• swimming holes, waterfalls and bushwalks at Litchfield
• sunset walk on the Vistoria River escarpment
• 400 km drive on the Buchanan Highway (all gravel, only saw a dozen other vehicles all day)
• Devils Marbles at sunset and dawn
• Desert Park in Alice Springs
• learning a little about contemporary Aboriginal art in Darwin, Ti Tree and Alice.

Off today into the West MacDonnell Ranges to do a few days of hiking and touring, including a planned climb of Mount Sonder), then to Palm Valley, Kings Canyon and Uluru. And then home...

Kakadu

Prior to arriving here we had met a number of people who said they were disappointed by their experience of Kakadu. Can’t understand why, because we had a great time here – it’s just been way too short to see much of what the Park has to offer.

We camped near Yellow Water, one of the best wetland areas in the Park, with absurd numbers of birds around at this time of year. As the Dry continues, a lot of the billabongs disappear, which leads to the birds (and other wildlife) congregating in huge numbers around the remaining sources of water. Magpie geese, egrets, herons, white sea eagles, black bitterns, darters, pelicans, brolgas, jabiru, whistling ducks etc etc. And LOTS of saltwater crocodiles.

We walked down along the water’s edge each evening (but not too close to the water’s edge!), and one morning we went on a dawn cruise in the Billabong and along the Jim Jim and South Alligator Rivers. The cruise was brilliant, beginning a little before dawn with with the full moon setting over the wetlands (after the previous night’s full lunar eclipse). Then out through channels amongst the water lilies and water grasses, a few big old (800 years+) paperbark trees – and masses of wildlife which seemed almost completely oblivious to our presence. Apart from the birds there were about a dozen crocs of various sizes, including a couple basking in the early sunlight with jaws wide open (apparently it stops their brains from getting overheated!) I took 292 photos over the the two hours, and Karen took nearly as many again.

The next day we did the Barrk walk at Nourlangie rock, an enormous and spectacular sandstone massif which includes two of the best (and best-known) rock art sites in Kakadu. The walk takes in both sites at Nourlangie, and in between takes you on a 6-8 hour walk over the top of the Rock. Beautiful walk with a large area of eroded red sandstone pillars on top of the Rock called (a little kitschly) the ‘Enchanted castles’. Whatever the name, it certainly was wonderful walking amongst them, and great views across Kakadu in all directions. The only other hikers we met were Geoff and Cathy, two Park Rangers who were putting up additional track markers due to the number of tourists getting lost along the trail.

Another day we spent about four hours at the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre, learning how to prepare pandanus leaves to weave baskets and mats in the traditional style. Hard work stripping the leaves, preparing yellow, brown, red and pink dyes and doing the actual weaving. I didn’t actually get past the leaf preparation myself (at which I failed miserably) but the experience was really interesting and enjoyable. The class was led by Violet Lawson, an elder of the Murrunbur clan – and a most delightful and knowledgeable person. While I was shredding my fingers on the pandanus Violet prepared billy tea and damper, and cooked up a couple of barramundi on the coals of the fire. Delicious.

On our last night in Kakadu we camped at Ubirr to check some more rock art (in the ‘X-ray’style) and a beautiful sunset viewing spot looking out over the rocky escarpment and the wetlands. The ranger did brief talks on aboriginal kinship structures, rock art styles and the five main habitats of Kakadu. Really interesting. Prior to that we got permits from the Northern Land Council and had a brief foray into Arnhem Land to visit an indigenous art centre at Gunbalunya (Oenpelli).

Now off to Darwin for a few nights. After 28 days, we’re both well and truly into the rhythm of travelling - and looking forward to everything that is to come.

Jatbula Trail

Back to Katherine after five days hiking the length of the wonderful Jatbula Trail, a wilderness track which goes through the Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park from Katherine Gorge to Leliyn (Edith Falls).

We saw the full varied range of landscapes in the Park, which include gorges and waterfalls, rocky cliffs (part of the Arnhem Escarpment), riverside forests of pandanus, tree grevillias and melaleucas, small patches of rainforest, grasslands and savannah woodland on top of the plateaus. About 100,000 termite mounds. Fantastic country.

There are also rock art sites along the trail, where the local Jawoyn people had drawn and painted images of animals, fish, and ancestor spirits from the Dreamtime.

We saw no other people (none!) until the last day of the walk, and only heard a distant aeroplane on one occasion. You are only allowed to walk the trail in one direction so as to reduce the chance of encountering any other people. At this time of year (late in the dry season) it’s starting to get a bit hot, with daily temperatures in the mid-thirties, so not too many people are silly enough to go out walking anyway!

To counter the heat, which did get pretty intense at times with full packs on, we got up well before dawn (and before the numerous birds!) each day to get the bulk of the day’s walk over before the late afternoon heat. It also helped that each day’s walk included two or three truly BEAUTIFUL swimming holes, at which we’d drop packs (and clothes) and plunge in to cool off. Some of the most wonderful places we’ve ever swum, with sweet clear cool water, frolicking birds all around – and importantly, no crocs…

Our campsites were all beside waterholes which even had names to evoke the landscape – names like Biddlecombe Cascades, Crystal Falls, and Sweetwater Camp Pool. Plentiful smokeless firewood, (mostly) no mozzies, soft soil to plant the tent pegs in – in short, we were the original ‘happy campers’.

Returning to civilisation was a bit tough, though I must say that we have enjoyed little luxuries like ice cream, fine wines, air conditioning, laundry facilities and food cooked and served by someone else!