WayOutBack: Dragonfly Dreaming

The fireworks went on all night, some rather loud... They sounded so close! I slept better than I thought I would though, and was awake before my alarm. I think I was nervous to miss it, having not had to be awake so early for a while. I was dressed, packed and ready to go by 6.20am. Didn't have time for a cup of tea, unfortunately.

The walk to Mitchell Street was longer than I had envisaged and I had a small panic that I would be late. Luckily not, I arrived to see a small cluster of youths outside the front of the YHA. There was still a slight whiff in the air, like that really nice smell when you blow birthday candles out. Mitchell Street had probably been 'lit' last night, in more ways than one. I'd been there mere minutes when a monstrous 4x4 bus pulled up. "Tess" would be our ride for the next few days, with Hayden as our guide.

We all threw our bags in the trailer and climbed aboard. I grabbed the front seat, and was surprised to find I had it all to myself. There was twelve of us on the tour through Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks. Four Aussies, three Germans, a French couple, two Brits and a Swiss. The youngest was fourteen, and the oldest sixty-five.

Our first stop of the day was Litchfield National Park. This was a few hours drive, down the Stuart Highway. It was a smooth ride, so I had a little sleep. When I woke up, we were out of the "big smoke" of Darwin and onto rougher, dirtier roads and scenery. Litchfield is 1,500 km², that's bigger than the Bahamas.

We arrived at Wangi Falls (pronounced won-guy) before the sun had fully risen above the rocks surrounding us. This made for a nice cool walk through to the falls. A few of the guys went for a dip in the plunge pool, it was still a bit too early for me. I'd swim in the next one!

I decided to walk to the Lookout with Brian and Cathy, an older couple from Wollongong. The walk took us through the forest, I couldn't believe how loud the birds were. The canopy above us was full of chirping, tweeting, shrieking. There must have been hundreds apon hundreds. I also recognised the sounds of flying foxes.

We reached the Lookout and were disappointed to find that it didn't give us an aerial view of the falls. It did give an amazing view over the forest and the National Park in the distance. The climb down took half as long and we were back as the swimmers were drying off. The sun had risen higher now, and we were all warming up a tad. I refilled my water, got to keep hydrated.

Our next stop was Florence Falls, a short drive down the road had us arrive before the tourist rush. We changed into our "swimmers" and took the short walk to the plunge pool. Hayden waited for the stragglers, and we went ahead. It was meant to be 10mins down 150 steps. Well, it was the longest 10min walk I'd ever been on, and there were no steps to be seen.

Turns out we'd done one half of the 2km loop surrounding the falls. We got there in the end, greeted by a rather bemused tour guide. The pool was stunning, the falls were in a small gorge, with gorgeous panoramic views. Of course there was a cheeky rainbow in the waterfall too. Could it be any better?

I was one of the first to glide into the water, I'm trying to make it sound graceful. Really, I just launched myself into the water from the steps, and it probably didn't look anywhere near as smooth as I thought. The water was quite cold, but it was easy to adjust to it and just enjoy the refreshing swim.

Everyone enjoyed a good 20mins swimming around the small pool. It was so deep, there wasn't even the smallest chance of touching the bottom. When we got tired we found rocks hidden underneath to rest on. Rebecca and Meike found some fishes in the shallow end, so we all went to say hello.

We tried to dry off before we began our walk back, but instead just carried our clothes. I wrapped a towel around my waist and slipped my flip flops on. I couldn't believe how quickly my hair was already drying, it was still morning but it was really sunny! This time, we took the stairs, and enjoyed a quick peek from the lookout at the top.

We got back to the bus and dried off properly, changing from our bikinis and hanging them in the bus to dry. Hayden treated us to some orange segments and crackers, and we were back on the road again, this time with music. Cathy commented on the fact that I knew words I shouldn't, to songs before my time. It's been commented on a lot this year so far, and it's something I'm very proud of!

Our next drive was a longer one, and I may have had another cheeky nap. When I did wake up, I began to see a few noticeable differences in the landscape. Towers of dirt were appearing scattered as far as the eye could see, these were termite mounds. We turned off to a special information point, with boardwalk walking through the mounds.

Hayden explained the two different type of termite mounds, Cathedral and Magnetic. The cathedral ones were designed with curves and crevices to keep temperature regulated throughout the day. The magnetic ones were thin and spikey, following the north/south line to spend half a day in the sun. It was fascinating, we learned of the roles of termites; soldiers, workers, reproducers, and the queen. They all worked as a team, in their honeycomb type home and below the mounds, in the ground.

It would take roughly ten years for the termites to build to a metre high. We visited a mound that must have been at least triple my height. It was so tall, they reckon it's at least 50yrs old! If you think how tiny a termite actually is, it's a hell of an achievement. It is believed that termites can survive a number of different natural disasters, and have lived for millions of years already. Termites are even used by locals to hollow out branches to make didgeridoos. So cool.

We were all getting hungry now, so it was off to Banyan Tree Caravan Park. Lunch was make-your-own sandwiches, with all sorts of fillings on offer. I had beef salad, with sweet chilli sauce. I also popped a little side salad on my plate, the tuna looked too good to ignore. Feeling a little fuller, I was ready to face the rest of the day.

Before we left, Hayden showed us our route for the whole tour on a map. We were covering a lot of ground, driving hundreds of kilometres. It was amazing to see how far we'd already driven, since we had left Darwin that morning. It was going to be a great trip!

We travelled down the Stuart Highway, the main road through Central Australia, with more singing and even more napping. We then turned onto Arnhem Highway, which would take us into Kakadu National Park, and to our accommodation for the night.

A petrol stop on the way found us at Coroboree Tavern. While Hayden filled up, we visited their pets. We saw Brutus the saltie and Fred the freshie, both completely uninterested in us. They also had an albino buffalo and pigs, all looking a little hot and bothered. Naturally, they all rolled around in the muddy water to cool down a little. I was beginning to wish we'd have another swimming stop today, it was getting sweaty.

To help cool down I treated myself to a Magnum and enjoyed it whilst watching the band play out on the deck. We had to hit the road again all too soon. I was glad I wasn't the one driving, being on the one road for hours must be a little tedious.

We finally turned off the highway down Old Jim Jim road. This was a little bit more exciting, it borded the bases used by the Australian and American army for military training! We even followed an American convoy for a while, trying to guess what they were carrying. Once they entered their super secret base I had nothing to amuse me again and drifted off once more.

When I awoke we had just entered Kakadu National Park. It is the largest inland national park in Australia, and the only one in the world to have a dual UNESCO membership. It is recognised for cultural significance and it's unique environment. The land was given back to the Indigenous people and they now lease it to "Parks and Wildlife". The board that manages the park is made up of ten Aboriginals and five Western Australians. This means the maintenance of the park is a balance between traditional and modern methods.

Our first real 4x4 adventure came when we had to cross the South Alligator River. It was only accessible if the river was below 60cm, otherwise you had to take a longer route around the outside. The road was named by a Western explorer who hadn't seen crocodiles before. By the time it was realised that there were no alligators native to Australia, maps had already been made and they couldn't be bothered to change it.

And so began a bumpier drive to our accommodation at Cooinda Lodge. I still managed to slip in another cheeky nap. We finally arrived at our private campsite with daylight to spare. There were 10 "safari tents" between us. With Brian and Cathy upgraded to a lodge, a couple and a father and son sharing, that left one each. No.6 would do me nicely, and I dumped my stuff in quickly to help with dinner.

Chicken stir fry was on the menu tonight, I helped by cutting the capsicum and zucchini. We also had the biggest onions I've ever seen, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower and garlic. It seemed a lot of food for thirteen of us, but I'm sure it'll get eaten.

While the chicken and veggies were cooking, I went for a little exploration of the site. It was very busy, with it being peak season and school holidays, but everyone seemed well catered for. The pool looked very inviting, maybe after dinner, for now I just wanted food!

The stir fry was so tasty, there was so much rice - I told them we only needed one bag - that I simply had to have two portions. It was just what I needed, and after a quick chat and clear up, it was time for bed. I don't know why I felt so tired, it's not like I hadn't been sleeping all day. I think my body is beginning to realise it's holiday time, and slowly relaxing.

~

I conked out straight away, probably about 9.30! I woke up at 5ish, and popped to the loo. The stars were absolutely incredible. I was surprised to find two young girls in the toilets gossiping and doing their make up. It was far too early for all of that. I got out of there as soon as I could, I hate hearing girls bitching about and disrespecting others.

Back to sleep for a while, I got up properly at 6.45. I was dressed and packed by the hour, dragging all my belongings into the camp kitchen. I was clearly first up, so I turned on all the electrics and set about making a cuppa. The hot water urn thing wouldn't work though, I tried a few different methods but couldn't get the light to come on. I was dying for some tea, had to make do with some toast and water.

Finally, Hayden appeared and tried to fix it. Of course he jokingly blamed me, but he boiled some water on the "binny" so I couldn't complain. While we were waiting for it to heat up, the others started to gradually appear. It seemed like everyone had slept really well, most getting at least 8hrs!

With the trailer and bus opened, I threw my stuff in and decided I could fit in a shower. We wouldn't be leaving camp until 8.30, plenty of time! When I returned, feeling refreshed, everyone was awake and finishing brekkie. I helped pack things away and between us we had the kitchen swept and tables wiped with time to spare.

This morning was our Yellow Water Billabong Cruise. As we pulled up, there were three boats returning from their sunrise cruise. It was barely 9am and yet the sun was already incredibly warm, I covered myself in suncream and whacked my hat on. Our boat was not quite full, so we managed to each grab a "window" seat.

We met Connor the tour guide, and, even before we'd set off, he spotted a croc in the water behind us! This was going to be exciting! With everyone on board, we set off in pursuit of our scaly friend. Unfortunately, he/she was long gone.

Heading upstream, one of the guys up front saw a crocodile basking on one of the banks. Connor reckoned she was a female, as she was about 3m long. Males are very territorial and too many in one spot could cause a riot. We took a few photos then left her to it.

We reached the end of the billabong and turned onto to the South Alligator River. It wasn't long before we spotted another crocodile. Another female, relaxing on the bank. We managed to pull the boat in quite close, and then witness some real croc action.

As we were taking photos and watching the croc, let's call her Sheila, a snake slithered alongside her. It was a bit warm now, he probably just wanted some shade. Sheila wasn't too happy with this and, before you could say "crikey", she turned and attempted to catch the snake. That she did, amazingly, I knew they could move fast but bloody hell! We were now all watching Sheila chomp down on breakfast, a keel back snake.

Even Connor had never seen that happen before, we watched the whole process. Sheila had a bit of trouble getting the right angle to fully enjoy her meal. Eventually it was down, and in one last big swallow the snake was no more. We were all still buzzing with excitement as we slowly reversed and carried on our journey.

Connor pointed out a few kingfishers, and we also met the strangest ducks known. The whistling ducks do not like water, and they do not quack! We were also directed to a few wild horses out on the escarpment in the distance. Apparently, there are also wild pigs and buffalo that live along the river. We found another croc in amongst weeds and watched as she tried to creep up on a bird. The bird was too clever though and flew off quite quicky.

Finally, we saw a male croc, known as Max. He was a lot bigger than the females we'd seen previously. A ripple in the water revealed "one of his girlfriends". She wasn't in the mood for his antics and snapped at him before swimming away. I couldn't believe how lucky we were to see so much action.

Turning around, Connor was keen for us to find Boris, the largest croc in the area. We hunted upstream, spying lots more birds and beautiful lilypads on the way. Unfortunately, Boris was nowhere to be found. We did see another female, swimming towards us and below the boat. It's scary how quickly they can disappear from sight. This is definitely not a place I would swim willingly. I'd rather sit on a boat for days on end with no supplies than even put one toe in that water.

Hayden was waiting for us as we arrived back at the jetty. We had a snack bar each and enjoyed some more orange segments as we told him of our adventures. He was amazed by the snake story. It's good to know that it is actually a rare sight to see, and we weren't just being played.

Nourlangie Rock was our next stop, it's official title being Anbangbang (pronounced arn-bang-bang). We were to have a bit of a cultural and educational afternoon. We climbed up the path to see the infamous rock art. Anthropologists reckon that some of the work in the area is 20,000 yrs old. Amazing. A few touch ups have been undertaken in the last century or so, but the majority of the original work is still there and still very visible!

Hayden told us a story of a documentary made by our very own BBC in the 80s about Aboriginal Rock Art. Apparently there is now a kangaroo in one spot that was definitely not there before. Nothing has been proven, but the BBC are banned from Anbangbang.

Once we had visited the different galleries, we made our way back down to the bus. One of the opening scenes from Crocodile Dundee was filmed at Anbangbang Billabong, and so Hayden took us for a drive by. There were a surprising amount of people walking around. I know there is a footpath there but, now I know how fast crocodiles can move, you wouldn't catch me anywhere near that water.

The drive to the only township in Kakadu, Jabiru, was long enough for a nap. We arrived and chose our tents quickly, wanting to have lunch asap so we could go for a swim. I was too late to assist in the lunch preparations today. Instead I vowed to help clear away.

Our burger lunch was delicious, I kept mine simple with cheese, tomato and lettuce. Some of the others were filling their buns so much it's a wonder they could fit them in their mouths. My moderate portion meant I could enjoy a second, this time with extra side salad. I washed my plate and filled the washing up bowl. I went to get changed into my bikini and, on my return, found that no-one had stuck around to wash up. Terrible.

Once myself and Cathy had cleared lunch away, it was pool time. We didn't have long so there was no dipping of the toe. I was straight in there, did a few laps and splashed around with everyone. It was 3.30 all too soon and time for one last lap. A quick dry off and we all piled back on the bus ready for our Ubirr sunset.

On the way we stopped off at Cahill Crossing. This river marks the border to Arnhem Land. We were shocked to see two aboriginals and one westerner fishing in the river. There was a croc quite clearly eyeing them up! I'm sure most accidents and casualties are because locals just get complacent. The "it will never happen to me" attitude seems to tempt fate a little too much, in my opinion.

We pulled up to a very busy carpark at Ubirr. There was one spot left just for us and we were soon clambering up the rocks to admire more galleries. The best one had to be the "food menu". This was where many fish, turtles, wallabies etc were depicted. If a man had had a particularly successful hunt, he would paint his catch to show others.

It was rather cloudy, but we were optimistic the sky would clear and leave us with a beautiful array of colours. I found a nice spot to perch myself and watch as the sun slowly lowered in the sky. Golden hour was beautiful, from atop the rock we could see miles over the Kakadu landscape. There were lots of areas of controlled burning, the smoke adding to the effect.

The clouds didn't clear, and once the sun had set behind one particularly fierce looking one, it did not reappear. Everyone very quickly gave up and made their descent. Not our group, we persevered, hoping to at least get some distinctive colours across the sky. Unfortunately, the clouds were too thick and the sky was beginning to darken.

Hayden and the Aussies left and we remained just a little longer, chatting to the park ranger. I really didn't want to climb down in the dark, so joined a random group of French and walked back  to the bus. I had my head torch on me but I didn't need it until the very end. The others still didn't appear for another 15mins!

There was another WayOutback group staying at Jabiru and Hayden had called in a favour. When we arrived back to camp at gone 8 o'clock, "Uncle Stevo" had cooked our "snags" for us. Salad and coleslaw had been prepared earlier so all was left to do was cook the steaks and mash the potato. Charlie took control of the meat, while I did my best with a broken masher.

We enjoyed a hearty meal outside, all piling our plates high with the buffalo sausages, steaks, salad, mashed potato, coleslaw and onions. I still managed that second portion I'd become accustomed to. It was so nice not having to cook for myself.

A few beers and wines were consumed, I found some ice to add to my glass of water, and we discussed the trip so far. It was going so quickly, with the last day tomorrow a long one, it was soon time for bed. I didn't want to be faffing around at 5am so packed all my belongings and put them in the bus ready.

~

The sleep wasn't as good as the night before, I was awake at 3ish, again to nip to the toilet. Managed to get back to sleep, just, and was raring to go when my alarm sounded at 5.15am. Hayden had brought out his secret supply of nutella for brekkie and we were all so appreciative. It was a long day ahead, and chocolate spread made it seem so much easier.

This morning we were picking up a family of five who were doing a day trip to Jim Jim Falls. In order for them to sit together, I sat right up front in the cabin. Meike also joined me and we decided it was our job to keep Hayden alive, alert, awake, enthusiastic.

Once we had picked up Brian and Cathy, and the newcomers, it didn't take long for us to reach Jim Jim road. This was a corregated dirt track and we had great fun making our voices sound funny. It was awesome to be able to put our feet up and enjoy a free massage. We did have a laughing fit when we noticed how much Meike's big toe was vibrating. It was one of those things you just can't unsee.

We arrived at the caravan park on the outskirts and used their toilet to all change into swimwear. Then came the fun part, we had another 2km to drive to Jim Jim carpark. Our road in was a narrow track, the aim was to not lose any windows or mirrors. Apparently Hayden and Stevo were the only two guides to make it through unscathed each time.

I won't lie to you, the road was an absolute nightmare. I felt like I was on a rollercoaster, and I don't like them at the best of times. This was extra bumpy, a few times we were even flown out of our seats. Hayden said that we were just being dramatic, he was alright with his seat suspension! I was glad when it was over. I was starting to feel a bit sick, it felt like my internal organs had been rearranged!

With the bus parked up, we still had a 1km walk over the rocks to reach the falls. This was easier than I thought, but would have been even better if I didn't have to carry my water, towel and sunscreen. Carrying my bag only left me with one hand to scramble up and down with. Still, they were essentials I couldn't go without.

On the way Hayden pointed out a crocodile trap. A pig leg or wallaby would be suspended by a rope at one end of the cage. When the croc grabbed the meat, a trigger would release and the door would lock them in. If rangers caught freshies by accident they would release them back into the water, there has been no recorded fatalities from freshwater crocodiles. However, should they have caught a saltie, they would float him to a new location away from the possibility of human contact.

We made it to the falls and I was amazed to see an actual beach alongside the plunge pool. Incredible. Looking up, the view was stunning. There were red and orange rocks towering high above us, scattered with the odd gum tree or green foliage. Next to a bright blue sky, and the clearest waterfall the colours seemed so much more vivid. We were so lucky to see Jim Jim still flowing, it fell in two streams of water down to the bottom. Within weeks, the second fall will have dried up, and the left probably only had a month. It was hard to imagine what the sound would be like in the wet season, with the waterfall in full flow.

The sun had not reached over the rocks yet, so it was quite shaded. This meant the water would be cold! I watched as Simon, Meike, Rebecca and Charlie dove in. The looks on their faces said it all. I gradually started to walk into the water, if I could just get my shoulders under I knew I'd be okay. I went for it and flung my body into the cold. It was so much deeper than I had envisaged, I was metres from the shore and I couldn't touch the bottom!

We all enjoyed a very refreshing swim, meandering around the rocks hidden in the water and heading towards the falls. I found a great spot that was somehow in a strip of sunlight, it was noticeably warmer than everywhere else. Hayden took some of the others over slippery rocks into the smaller, colder pool at the base of the waterfall. I made the most of their absence and revelled in having the pool all to myself. I managed a few laps and then swam back to shore to grab my camera.

Luckily, it wasn't so cold diving in the second time. I loved laying on my back and looking up at the rock formations above. My favourite little bit had a stair type structure, with the rocks getting smaller and smaller. There was then a big rock sitting on top, and a tree! It was just so peaceful there, I could have stayed all day. It did start to get busier as more groups and families could be seen climbing towards us.

We all dried off as best we could and munched on some crackers and dip. All the climbing and swimming certainly got the appetite going. It was time to walk back, the path being much more crowded than on the way. Seems we'd picked the perfect time to go, although I bet it would be a glorious spot in the midday sun. I gave my best wishes to everyone we passed, I couldn't believe some of the shoes they deemed appropriate for the walk.

The drive back along the rollercoaster road didn't seem so bad now. It did seem to take us a lot longer, and not just because we had to slow down to pass other cars. The best thing about being the biggest 4x4 on the road is that you rule it. You could tell who the tourists were, the panic in their eyes when they saw us coming, and the terrible reversing, gave them away.

It was a team effort for lunch, and this time I cut the melon for dessert. We had wraps with so many different fillings, including the steak and sausages from yesterday. I devoured a steak, salad and cheese one, followed by another with sweet chilli beef salad. The melon and pineapple were so nice and refreshing, although did leave me with rather sticky fingers.

All cleaned up, it was back to camp. There was more toe vibrating and voice wobbling, but this time we had music. We played some Moana to keep Grace happy and I'm please to say I pretty much know all of the words now - even to 'You're Welcome'. It was a quick turn around at Jabiru. We dropped our new friends off and picked up the trailer. Having had quite a bit of fun with trailers the last few months I took it upon myself to help Hayden and Simon attach it. They both seemed quite surprised that I knew what I was doing.

Time for a quick fill up at the servo before leaving for Darwin. Myself and Meike had noticed just how dirty the front windscreen was, so decided to give it a little clean. There were so many dead insects stuck to the glass, but we did our best and Hayden was happy with it!

With the music blaring we began the long drive back to the big smoke. Our last croc watch was a successful one. While crossing over the West Alligator River, we spotted a small saltie in the water. How exciting, a fitting tribute to our tour. A quick stop at the Kakadu sign for a group picture, and then we were leaving my favourite national park behind.

We were completing the same journey as before, so of course had to drop in at Cooroboree. Fred and Brutus were still there, although the band was not. I did have an icecream again though, this time purchasing a peppermint and chocolate one. Yum.

The guys weren't too happy with some of Meike's musical choices. I stepped up to the plate and took requests for the remainder of our journey. I think I'd make quite a good dj, none of this new stuff though. Maybe at a 80s/90s dance party.

The next few hours were full of stories, jokes, ballads and riddles. We had been promoted in our little cabin to Co-Pilot and Navigator. I was ready to take over the controls whenever, if ever, I was asked. We pulled into the CBD far sooner than I'd expected and all said our goodbyes. It had been an amazing, jam-packed three days and I'd loved every minute.