Darwin to Kakadu

Hello folks, we have been out of range for over a week now, so hence this update is a lengthy one and I am going to split it into two editions. 

Last weekend  we spent in Darwin (Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th August), and it was great. We familiarized ourselves with the city by going for a bit of a walk around town. The color of the water in Darwin Harbour is amazing but of course no swimming allowed, because of crocs and jellyfish.

We stayed a little out of Darwin and on Sunday morning we visited a nearby public water park with amazing waterslides and water fountains with an adjoining skate park, the boys had a ball and Mal and I really enjoyed going on the waterslides with Liam. 

In the afternoon we went back into Darwin city to go to Mindil night markets but they had been unexpectedly cancelled due to a burst sewer main, oh well it just means we have to come back to Darwin one day. 

We spent some time at the Darwin Museum and Art Gallery (an hour at least) which gave us a good insight into Aboriginal art and culture. We saw an exhibition on the devastation that Cyclone Tracy left in Darwin in 1974 and lots of animal species from the top-end, it's the safest way to see them, when they're stuffed. 

We headed out of Darwin on Monday morning (20th August), after a nice weekend spent in Darwin. We were heading for Kakadu and had been advised to visit Ubirr (pronounced: Oo-beerr), it was well worth the visit, we saw many rock art paintings on the rock walls and listened to a Ranger talk about the Rainbow Serpent, then we climbed to the top of the rocky lookout for the fabulous 360 degree view of Kakadu. 

 
 
On Tuesday morning (21st August) we had booked a 2 hour morning cruise on the East Alligator River (which has no alligators but plenty of saltwater crocodiles ie.the kind that eat you for dinner).
Fortunately the crocs are lazy at this time of the day, after a busy night feeding and they posed for the camera. 

Our guide explained traditional hunting techniques using spears made from a native hibiscus tree that grows along the banks of the saltwater river. The wood is very light and flexible, so you can spear a fish and the spear floats back out of the water to allow you to retrieve your catch without having to jump in the river, because you may well become a crocs lunch if you do that.

Liam has been super-keen to buy a didgeridoo and he finally got to choose one made by a local artist, from Kakadu.

 Now Liam has to learn how to play it, which has been one of our activities in the car over the past week. Both Mal and Liam can get the right sound but still have to work on their circular breathing.