Batchelor - Lichfield - Darwin
We have a day to complete our trip to Darwin, about 200km away via Lichfield National Park. We decide to take it easy and get there by early afternoon.
We get up at our leisure, drink coffee and watch the birds. We see an Australian Fig Eater for the first time. Our complimentary breakfast is a toasted sandwich, coffee and juice. Good. We watch some more birds while we wait for the last of the washing to dry. Eli collects some more seeds from the Red Seed Tree - but gives up when the mozzies start biting.
Lichfield National Park's main attraction is a series of waterfalls feeding swimable rock pools. Our mission for the day is to cruise from pool to pool in the morning and then do the last 100km to Darwin after lunch.
We stop at Florence Falls for a swim. We take the long way to the pool: a lovely 1.6 km walk through the bush. It is very warm and humid, but bearable if you keep sipping at the water bottle. At last we reach this magnificent place. A rock pool, crystal clear, fed by a waterfall about 20m high. I swim up to the waterfall, but it is hard work.
Into the jungle.
We continue on to Wangi Falls, but unfortunately it is closed for swimming. The water level is still high and its not croc-free yet. It is open for viewing, though. This is even more magnificent that Florence. A lot bigger, and two waterfalls feeding it, both a lot higher than Florence.
Wangi falls.
The heat is getting to us and we decide to stop here at the kiosk for refreshment, shade and lunch. Refreshment is had in the form of ice cold Coca Cola. Lunch is what you see advertised in the NT as a 'Burger with the works'. They are not lying either. When this made-to-order, 2-hander monster arrives, it is composed of a bun, some BBQ sauce, a beef patty, a fried egg, 2 rashers of bacon, a ring of pineapple, several slices of tomato, several slices of beetroot, fried onions, a slab of cheese and a lettuce leaf (for colour, I suppose). I have never seen such a thing! At A$9.00 you can't beat it for value either.
If this doesn't make sense, then maybe it's time to update your will.
We hit hit the road again and and don't stop until we hit Darwin. It feels strange to be driving on a double carriageway, and having to contend with traffic. Darwin's main drag is a combination of backpacker digs, street cafes, bars and restaurants. We get a double room in one of the digs and with it access to the roof bar, pool and spa at Melaleuca On Mitchell Backpacker Hostel (http://www.momdarwin.com/). What a great idea! We immediately take them up on the offer. The roof area has three pools, a waterfall and a bar. The music is pumping and the atmosphere is jolly. Assorted backpackers, mixed nuts and weird-beards sit around tables dragging on roll-ups and sipping beer. We swim, sip cold beer and display our many, many mosquito bites with pride.
We empty the car, since all out stuff needs to go back into two bags and hand luggage, ready for our flight tomorrow. We have loads of food left over which we hand out to anybody who is prepared to take it.
We shower and go looking for a seafood restaurant, dead set on a seafood platter. The one restaurant that might supply it is unfortunately closed, as its Monday night.
We have a day to complete our trip to Darwin, about 200km away via Lichfield National Park. We decide to take it easy and get there by early afternoon.
We get up at our leisure, drink coffee and watch the birds. We see an Australian Fig Eater for the first time. Our complimentary breakfast is a toasted sandwich, coffee and juice. Good. We watch some more birds while we wait for the last of the washing to dry. Eli collects some more seeds from the Red Seed Tree - but gives up when the mozzies start biting.
Lichfield National Park's main attraction is a series of waterfalls feeding swimable rock pools. Our mission for the day is to cruise from pool to pool in the morning and then do the last 100km to Darwin after lunch.
We stop at Florence Falls for a swim. We take the long way to the pool: a lovely 1.6 km walk through the bush. It is very warm and humid, but bearable if you keep sipping at the water bottle. At last we reach this magnificent place. A rock pool, crystal clear, fed by a waterfall about 20m high. I swim up to the waterfall, but it is hard work.
Into the jungle.We continue on to Wangi Falls, but unfortunately it is closed for swimming. The water level is still high and its not croc-free yet. It is open for viewing, though. This is even more magnificent that Florence. A lot bigger, and two waterfalls feeding it, both a lot higher than Florence.
Wangi falls.The heat is getting to us and we decide to stop here at the kiosk for refreshment, shade and lunch. Refreshment is had in the form of ice cold Coca Cola. Lunch is what you see advertised in the NT as a 'Burger with the works'. They are not lying either. When this made-to-order, 2-hander monster arrives, it is composed of a bun, some BBQ sauce, a beef patty, a fried egg, 2 rashers of bacon, a ring of pineapple, several slices of tomato, several slices of beetroot, fried onions, a slab of cheese and a lettuce leaf (for colour, I suppose). I have never seen such a thing! At A$9.00 you can't beat it for value either.
If this doesn't make sense, then maybe it's time to update your will.We hit hit the road again and and don't stop until we hit Darwin. It feels strange to be driving on a double carriageway, and having to contend with traffic. Darwin's main drag is a combination of backpacker digs, street cafes, bars and restaurants. We get a double room in one of the digs and with it access to the roof bar, pool and spa at Melaleuca On Mitchell Backpacker Hostel (http://www.momdarwin.com/). What a great idea! We immediately take them up on the offer. The roof area has three pools, a waterfall and a bar. The music is pumping and the atmosphere is jolly. Assorted backpackers, mixed nuts and weird-beards sit around tables dragging on roll-ups and sipping beer. We swim, sip cold beer and display our many, many mosquito bites with pride.
We empty the car, since all out stuff needs to go back into two bags and hand luggage, ready for our flight tomorrow. We have loads of food left over which we hand out to anybody who is prepared to take it.
We shower and go looking for a seafood restaurant, dead set on a seafood platter. The one restaurant that might supply it is unfortunately closed, as its Monday night.
Undeterred, we decide to go to Hanuman's (http://www.hanuman.com.au), allegedly the best restaurant in Darwin. They do Thai and Indian. We have to wait an hour and a quarter for a table, so we decided to find a beer somewhere and wait. We find a bar showing SA v. Aus one day cricket! Back at Hanuman's we start with a taster plate of prawns, scampi and two unrecognizable sea animals. Washed down with Aussie bubbly to celebrate the safe and successful conclusion of our trip. Eli has a delicious Red Seafood Curry, while I get a Barramundi in Coconut Curry. Very good, but I was hoping for some chilli too. Unfortunately, Eli just about falls asleep on her plate, so a magnificent meal is a bit wasted on weary travellers wearing their cleanest dirty clothes.
We walk back to our digs. Tired, but very well fed and watered.
Farewell Darwin
Today is another travel day. At 7 o'clock Eli is packing. Everything, including out new camping kit, left over wine and spices needs to go into 2 bags and 2 backpacks. We're done at 9 and load the car.
We go looking for breakfast, but Darwin should be called Sleepy Town. Most coffee shops only open at 10. At last we find a pretentious faux-Italian joint with poor service and a worse breakfast. At least the coffee was good, when it eventually arrived.
Second stop for the day is to park on one of Darwin Harbour's piers. We spend a long time staring, mesmerised, at the clear, turquoise blue water of the Timor Sea, imagining Indonesia somewhere over the horizon. It is a slightly hazy day, yet neither of us have ever seen seawater quite as blue as this.
Next stop, and last touristy bit, is the Indo Pacific Marine Institute. In here they build and self-sustaining marine ecosystems. The only maintenance is the addition of rainwater from time to time. We join a very interesting, passionate guided tour and talk. The reason for the crystal clear water around Darwin is clarified: No sewage is pumped into the sea, and no commercial fishing is allowed from the port. Consequently the the natural ecosystems are still functional and are keeping the water clean and healthy.
We fill up the Land Cruiser and hand it back to the rental agency. She was thirsty, but glorious.
Then taxi to the airport. At check-in, we realise that we packed a book of matches in the hold luggage! Everything is unpacked and we find the matches at last. With the suitcases off to the hold, we go in search of lunch. Our only option for warm food is a takeaway chicken burger (well, they call it chicken) from Mr Rooster. This was a mistake.
I get window seat again. Our flight path takes us south to the Barkly Tablelands around Tennant Creek, and then south-east to Sydney. Once again I get to see this magnificent piece of Earth from the air.
We get to see our last yellow, orange, red, purple and indigo desert sunset. Both of us are pretty melancholy. As a rule, we never go back to the same place for another tour. Our philosophy is to see and do everything we possibly can, the first time; never leave with regrets, or 'I would have liked to'. Nevertheless, we realise that there is still so much here that we have yet to see, do and experience.
Maybe, one day. Who knows.
We walk back to our digs. Tired, but very well fed and watered.
Farewell Darwin
Today is another travel day. At 7 o'clock Eli is packing. Everything, including out new camping kit, left over wine and spices needs to go into 2 bags and 2 backpacks. We're done at 9 and load the car.
We go looking for breakfast, but Darwin should be called Sleepy Town. Most coffee shops only open at 10. At last we find a pretentious faux-Italian joint with poor service and a worse breakfast. At least the coffee was good, when it eventually arrived.
Second stop for the day is to park on one of Darwin Harbour's piers. We spend a long time staring, mesmerised, at the clear, turquoise blue water of the Timor Sea, imagining Indonesia somewhere over the horizon. It is a slightly hazy day, yet neither of us have ever seen seawater quite as blue as this.
Next stop, and last touristy bit, is the Indo Pacific Marine Institute. In here they build and self-sustaining marine ecosystems. The only maintenance is the addition of rainwater from time to time. We join a very interesting, passionate guided tour and talk. The reason for the crystal clear water around Darwin is clarified: No sewage is pumped into the sea, and no commercial fishing is allowed from the port. Consequently the the natural ecosystems are still functional and are keeping the water clean and healthy.
We fill up the Land Cruiser and hand it back to the rental agency. She was thirsty, but glorious.
Then taxi to the airport. At check-in, we realise that we packed a book of matches in the hold luggage! Everything is unpacked and we find the matches at last. With the suitcases off to the hold, we go in search of lunch. Our only option for warm food is a takeaway chicken burger (well, they call it chicken) from Mr Rooster. This was a mistake.
I get window seat again. Our flight path takes us south to the Barkly Tablelands around Tennant Creek, and then south-east to Sydney. Once again I get to see this magnificent piece of Earth from the air.
We get to see our last yellow, orange, red, purple and indigo desert sunset. Both of us are pretty melancholy. As a rule, we never go back to the same place for another tour. Our philosophy is to see and do everything we possibly can, the first time; never leave with regrets, or 'I would have liked to'. Nevertheless, we realise that there is still so much here that we have yet to see, do and experience.
Maybe, one day. Who knows.
Ek is darem jammer dis nou die einde van dié interessante storie. Baie dankie, ek het die reis saam met julle geniet, lekker gelag vir al die eksta's en my verkyk aan die ongelooflike foto's. Sekerlik 'n onvergeetlike ervaring. Ma Louise
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