Darwin-Cairns-Darwin-Cairns

Crisscrossing the top end-

See if you can keep up ;)

Darwin:

Remember that amazing last shot of the beach-weeeeell as it turns out if you dare to swim in the ocean in Darwin you must have a death wish. The water is full of deadly things, such as "stingers" or jellyfish and crocs not to mention the mozzies that will keep you away from the beach in general. Seeing as I couldn't go in the water because of the crocs I decided to get my revenge-by going to an autopsy of one! My roomie in Darwin works at the Charles Darwin University and invited me along to check it out. I loved it but barf bags were available for those with a weaker stomach.

My main reason for going to Darwin was to work (amazing how quickly the money goes huh?). I was lucky enough to find a job on my 2nd day in the city while having a drink at a major restaurant/bar on the foreshores-The Beachfront Hotel. 

                       
  

And this was my life for nearly 3 months-bartending and playing dress-up. Not my most intellectual or demanding of jobs (except during both the AFL and Rugby Grand Finals which were back-to-back in one weekend. I saw not a second of either game as I was pouring beers for about 5 hours straight each day.) but it was fun to be working while having a view of the (deadly but) beautiful beach. The first picture was for International Pirates Day, the 2nd for Halloween (theme: Good vs. Evil-who do you think I was?) and the 3rd was for the Melbourne Cup-the largest horse racing and betting day for all of Australia. Most people take a looooooong lunch that day. 


                        

However I am proud to say that I also helped my bar and especially the lovely lady (in the pirate costume and on the far right just above) become the U.G.L.Y. bartender of Australia!!!! While not my favorite acronym ever, U.G.L.Y. stands for Understanding Generous Likable You. It is an organization that raises money for leukemia patients and their families to assist with their housing while they are receiving treatment. Bars choose one bartender to be the U.G.L.Y. representative and that person organizes the fundraising events. We did sausages sizzles (supposedly a typical weekend event for an Aussie family is to go to Bunnings (like Home Depot) and have a sausage on the way out), bike rides, car washes, Josie dyed her hair, got people to duct tape her to the wall and another girl cut off her dreads. All of this contributed to Josie raising over $35,000 in just a few months-the most in the whole country!

                                                                                                                                                                     

I did get out of the city (and let's be honest-it's not a city in the true sense of the word, just a large town) a bit. My roommate, her boyfriend and I went to Litchfield National Park for a few days. It's known for their various waterfalls/pools and the magnetic termite mounds! How cool are these guys?! They look like worn down gravestones although they stand about 3 meters/9 feet tall. They are always built aligned to the Earth's magnetic field, thereby pointing due north and south. This ensures that one side of the mound is always shaded and keeps the termites cool. 

                             

Then we stopped to see a real Aussie show-Jumping Crocs! I guess we came at the beginning of the fly season so the crocs take cover from the blood thirsty creatures and don't come out as much so this is all we saw, but they can get there whole bodies out of the water when they want to. The boat captain has also trained this whistling kite to catch raw chucks of meat out of the air. A nice added bonus. 

                       

A few other things that occupied my time while I was working at the bar: indoor beach volleyball (beach sand pits surrounded by nets in which anything is fair game) with my roommate, her sister, brother-in-law and a friend. Bronte also introduce me to some of the international students she works with at the uni and one night we had an impromptu Nepalese dumpling cooking class. When men are faced with dire circumstances (being out of their country) they can step up to the plate (no pun intended) and cook!  

Even if it isn't suitable for swimming the beach did offer some amazing sunsets and provided most of my running paths for my time there.

Cairns

While working at the bar I had gotten invited along for on a sailing adventure! The captain need another hand on deck which I guess really meant he wanted a cook and seemed to think backpackers were good cooks-hahahaha, joke was on him. Either way, I jumped at the chance to get to sail from Cairns to Darwin, a distance of 1387nautical miles/1596miles/2568km. We set sail from Cairns in the Kimberly Cool, an 11 meter long catamaran (named such because the Kimberelys are a mountain range in northern Australia where the captain hopes to spend much time in the future and because the term "Kimberely Cool" refers to a beer that is not quite cold since refrigeration is hard to come by in some parts up there and that's how the captain likes to drink his beers and how most of our beers were on board, NOT how I like them.)





A pirate's life for us....most of the time was spent doing just this-avoiding the sun since the sails didn't offer much shade most of the day. It must have been my watch since the other two crew (the captain at right and the first mate at left) were inside resting. During the day it was pretty hot and boring, but at night it was so cooling and relaxing-having nothing around you for hundreds of miles. The night skies were some of the best I've ever seen. 




  

Of course the sunrises and sunsets were spectacular and I could make you more jealous but I only chose two to show off.






One day while smack dab in the middle of the Gulf of Carpentaria, while doing our daily oil check I decided that I needed to cool off. I had about 150 miles on any side of me to the closest bit of land. I half wanted some huge animal to come swimming by, but only if it wouldn't eat me.
I did see lots of animals along the way. Mostly turtles, dolphins, some large manta rays, a few lemon sharks and lots of fish and birds. And we did hook and then lost a large marlin one day and caught and ate a tuna a few days later.
 A few other times when we were closer to shore and I'd jump in I was told to do it quickly and then get out! Crocs might leave you alone the first time you get in, but after that you're fair game.




We did go ashore a few times over the 2.5 weeks of sailing-to refuel, fill up on water or other provisions and once just to say hi to a friend of the captain's who lives in paradise (well it's called Bremer Island, but I called it paradise). He and his wife own an eco-lodge which is just a fancy way of saying tents that are slightly better than camping but because it's such a nice place they can charge a considerable bit more. I enjoyed resting my sea legs for a day, especially because we'd just had a few days of pretty rocky water which was not comfortable at all. I'm proud to say I never got sick on the trip, but there were some times I was close.

Darwin to Cairns

So after landing back in Darwin I packed up and set off with two new friends and drove across the outback again. This time it took 5 days (although we didn't rush it) for the 3000km/1800mile trip. It was more red earth, straight roads without speed limits and lots and lots of roos and wallabies (one of which decided it was done with life and chose my car as the means to an end. I was very sad, but to tell the truth, I saw more roadkill than cars in these 5 days. It happens, sorry)

We went off the main road and stopped in a few older towns that were once part of the gold rush that Australia experienced in the late 1890's to early 1900's. If you were just passing through there wouldn't seem like much of a reason to stop but being a bit of a nerd I insisted on stopping at the Croydon Information Office and were sent on a tour around town in which we got to stop by the old courthouse and listen to a reenactment of a case from 100 years ago. It was pretty entertaining.

I don't know if you can read this sign but it says, "All we want for Christmas is rain" I couldn't have asked for a more serendipitous moment. I guess it had been a very dry year (although I feel like I hear that everywhere) and lots of times that we were going to go see a waterfall, we would be informed that there was little chance of there being any water at that moment. 

Thanks so my little sister Molly I knew to keep my eyes out for some platypus and when one information office mentioned it in passing I nearly jumped on the poor old woman and demanded to know where, when, how I could see it! We were lucky enough to spot one that afternoon (platypus are very shy and can only be found at certain times of day). I was surprised to see that this full-grown adult is only about .3meters/less than a foot long. I'd always pictured them bigger. But he/she was cute! It's very good at the tuck and dive technique.  

One the last night before arriving in Cairns (again for me) we came upon these hot springs. This is the river in which the water nearly boils out at 80C/176F and is then sent though some pipes and used in a more exclusive, private set of pools inside a mini resort. We did stay at this resort, but camping, as you see below, but I preferred the river section.

Two of the three tents were my home for most of my time on the road, as well as my car when I was too lazy to pitch the tent. I absolutely loved camping. It really made me want to do some more road trips in other parts of the world (first and foremost-the USA-anyone game?)

Back in Cairns, nearly a month after setting sail from its port. When we crossed the Atherton Tablelands to arrive on the coast I was so relieve to see green again after so much brown and red. And it was exciting to know that I would soon be able to swim at the beaches, not yet, but soon ;)

The OUTBACK!!!! SA to the NT

As you might remember from my last picture-I was in a winter coat (in July) and after several weeks of hanging out in Melbourne, I decided that being in Australia meant NOT having to wear winter clothes. So I set my sights on Darwin (the northern most city in Australia) and headed off....

Through the Red Center

And what better way to go on a road trip that in my very own, brand new (to me) car?! I went and bought the first car of my life in South Australia, near where I'd been working in Spalding. She's lovely, reliable, durable, and efficient-a 2000 Toyota Camry! Lots of people ask me about what driving on the left is like and it was definitely hard at first-especially when turning at intersections or merging onto roundabouts/traffic circles. And I had to remind myself that the car in front of me is not being driven by a ghost.  

So myself along with two friends (Josh and Tom)-local guys who proved to be excellent tour guides and awesome travel buddies set out on a true Aussie adventure. Our first stop after crossing the border from South Australia to the Northern Territory (the NT) was in Coober Pedy (apparently comes from an aboriginal word meaning "white man's hole")-an opal mining town. Lots of people life in dugouts-shelters/homes dug into the sides of small hills, or underground. We got to sleep 3.5m/12feet in one of these-an underground hostel!  

The next day we drove the Oodnadatta Track-about a total of 400km/240miles of dirt road, littered with potholes, corrugation and lots and LOTS of rocks. It was very slow going and this is were we ended up-at the hottest and driest town in Australia/the world (there were several claims like this along the way, so I take it all with a grain of salt). 

We managed to get a bit of culture in by visiting the small community museum which consisted of interviews with lots of the locals  (including a friend of Tom from when she was young). I don't know if you can read the quote on the orange board but it read, "We used to play after school-ride around on our bikes and that. We derailed the Ghan (a train running the whole height of Australia) which didn't go down real well."
This became the object of our trip-to one up this guy. We had lots of great ideas along the way but nothing really ever panned out. 

Next up-Uluru (Ayers Rock)-the largest rock in the world! It's like an iceberg in that only a small part of the rock rises above the surface. The colors at both sunrise and sunset are beautiful! But don't be fooled by the shorts! We spent a long, cold night sleeping in my car because all the accommodations were booked up. Winter nights in the desert are NOT fun. 

You could walk around the base of Uluru (9.4km/5.8miles around) OR you could run it!!! One of the coolest runs I've ever done! (You can also walk up the rock holding onto a rope the whole way, but the local Aboriginals ask that people do NOT walk on it without making it completely illegal. But since it's a sacred site for them I decided to respect their wishes-although many people who visit do decide to climb it).

Right near Uluru is the Kata Tjuta/The Olgas, which look like large boulders that have been thrown onto the ground. Since we were actually able to respectfully hike in and around these rocks (which are like small mountains) we did and it turned out to be much more enjoyable and fun than Uluru. We stayed for the sunset as you can see above. 

I found Pride Rock! Probably my favorite spot in the whole trip- King's Canyon!!! Here I am with Josh. We didn't realize at the time just how far out on the cliff we were until......

We came around to the other side of the canyon and looked across. See where my finger is pointing? See that little sliver of a shadow that slants down to the right? THAT is where we were standing in the last picture. Mom-I swear I was being safe ;) Dazza-it was all Josh's idea ;)

From there we drove to Alice Springs (or the Alice as it's called by the locals), just about dead center in Australia. It's a town through which the Todd River "runs" although most of the time it's a dry riverbed which is full of bike tracks and great for running! (I don't usually do this, but to show the difference I stole this photo from a link online. I saw it as you see in the bottom half.)

Here we were on the hunt for some Thorny Devil Lizards to take home to Josh's mom, and when I saw them for the first time I realized why-they are absolutely adorable. When they move they sort of rock back and forth before taking steps. I too wanted to take one home with me.

From Alice, we headed west for a few days with out "new" camping gear and spent a few days hiking. Ormiston Pound was a favorite of our as we hiked up to get these great views as you see on the left and then back down and through these dried up river beds (a common theme in the Northern Territory) where the red color of the walls was brilliant. 

After a night in the new tents, from which we could hear dingoes barking, we set out for Mount Sounder, a 15.8km/9.8mile hike, all of which is either straight up or straight down. It was not an easy hike by any means but the 360' views were spectacular.  Here, as in any high point during our trip, Tom would say, "Imagine what it would look like during a flash flood." (I would have been rich if I'd collected every time I heard that remark.)

As you might recall, this drive passes through the Red Center of Australia, named for the orangy red of the land, and maybe also for the red blazes that can be seen on a regular basis. Bush burning is a common Aboriginal practice to clear the land to make it easier for hunting, as well as activate lots of different types of plants that will only release seeds when burnt (evolution is amazing isn't it?). This practice sometimes is used too often and now that there are more people and more stations (large farms) in this area, it can get dangerous. I'm not sure if this fire was a controlled burn or not, but either way, it was a beautiful sight.

In outback Australia is it common to see signs that read, "next roadhouse/pub 200/300/400km." Roadhouses or pubs are an all inclusive place that offer food, drink, and accommodation for passing travelers.  The Daly Waters Pub is one of the most famous of these roadhouses and a must stop for anyone traveling by. There you can share a drink with other travelers, all of who are on some epic journey of their own and have lots of insight on where to go next. 

Another common sign in the NT is this one! Enough said ;)

Despite being very arid and dry in the NT, it is possible to find these beautiful, clear, reflecting watering holes or billabongs. This is Edith Falls (you might be able to make out the falls at the back of the photo). We had planned to stay one night, ended up staying 2 and wished we could have stayed more. These pools are generally safer to swim in since they are self contained. 

The last section of our trip took us through Kakadu National Park. Upon entering the park we took a road marked for all vehicle types, but the 40km/24mile road took over an hour to drive! Luckily we found this at the end and it made up for the drive.  Directly below me in the picture was a refreshing pool of water, but we opted for the short, steep climb up for the view and some more private small pools in the rocky river bed. 

Kakadu is famous for its rock art. There are over 5,000 sites in the park, dating back to 40,000 years and there has been some evidence recently that Aboriginals might have even been here 80,000 years ago. We listened to a Ranger's talk, and myself and my friends developed a bit of crush on the guy. He spoke so passionately about the significance of rock art, the culture of the Aboriginal people and the rich heritage that is quickly dying out and sadly being forgotten. For anthropologist/archaeologist enthusiasts-this is a dream destination.  

Number one on our list to see/do in Kakadu was CROCS!!!!!! We were told that we could see crocodiles everyday at Cahill Crossing, a road crossing that floods at high tide (mind you-this is 200km/140miles inland). At this time the crocs converge on this spot and wait for their prey to come flooding in as well. If you are on the other side of the road at this point you have to wait for the water to recede before coming back over. We chose to watch from a safe location on the riverbank, especially after a local man told us a gruesome story of a man who got too close to the road and was taken by a croc. (Hence the signs!!!!)

From atop this 360' lookout we were able to take in all of the different land forms that Kakadu has to offer: estuaries, lowlands, flood plains, stone country, hills and basins. 

The Rainbow Serpent is a major theme and symbol for Kakadu because of this cultural unity among many different local groups. It is believed that the Rainbow Serpent was a major creator being-creating passages through rocks and forming waterholes in the Kakadu landscape. She is also part of the life cycle of plants and animals and the seasonal changes (the local Bininj people believe that there are 6 seasons-their attention to every changing detail in nature is astounding). 

Termite mounds abound in the NT. This wasn't even one of the biggest ones! They can get up to 6meters/20feet tall. A popular practice that we noticed along the way was to place clothing on them so that from far off they look like people. 

Ladies and Gentlemen-we have reached our destination. Welcome to Darwin.  Here there are 3 season-the Dry, the Build-up and the Wet. I arrived in the worst season-the Build-up, where it's constantly hot, Hot, HOT and humid and no rain in store for months yet. And oh yeah, another thing-as beautiful as this looks, you are advised not to go swimming as the water is full of stingers (jellyfish) and crocodiles.....