Things we learned in the Outback

We've just arrived in Perth after spending 5 days in Australia's rugged & remote national parks in the Northern Territory.  Kakadu is a national gem which is still owned by the Aboriginals but leased back to the commonwealth so that all people can enjoy its amazing beauty.  It is a giant park that both Yellowstone and Glacier parks would fit into with room to spare.  This area has been the homeland for several tribes of aboriginals for more than 40,000 years.  There are still 3000 who live in the park using the hunting and gathering traditions of their forefathers



Besides viewing the various landscapes, we also visited an area filled with rock art that was incredibly well preserved. Some of the art work can't be photographed per the request of the aboriginals as the picture may depict something that is sacred.  
Painting of a Wallaby
We also finally got to see salt water crocodiles!  We took a Yellow River cruise and saw tons of bird life as well as close ups of crocs!  The one below is considered small as it is about 9 feet long.
Sunrise on the Yellow River

Lotus flowers are blooming all along the banks of the river
Hello croc.  She was about 1.5 feet from our boat
While in Kakadu, we stayed at the Cooinda Lodge which was absolutely an oasis inside of this rugged territory.  With temperatures reaching 102 F before noon, we spent our mornings hiking and then lounged by the pool the rest of the day.  

Our next stop was in Katherine to visit Nitmiluk, also known as Katherine's Gorge.  We took a cultural tour of the gorge with an aboriginal guide.  He was amazing as was the scenery and rock art along the walls of the gorge.


While we enjoyed our time very much in the outback, we were both ready to return to somewhere that was a bit less rugged.  We learned some very interesting lessons on this adventure into the great Aussie outback.  Sharing these in case you are planning a trip to the area.

LESSONS LEARNED in the OUTBACK.

1.  Never rent a car that isn't a 4WD if you want to be able to get to many of the sights.
2.  Top off your gas tank frequently.  We encountered many villages that were closed and/or they didn't have any unleaded gas or the pumps were broken.
3.  Watch out for Road Trains - the equivalent of a semi tractor pulling 4 trailers all connected and barreling down two lane roads at 80 mph.
4.  Don't get nervous if you don't see another car for hours at a time, eventually you will find some little spot that has people.
5.  Don't be surprised when your hotel room isn't quite what it said it would be when you get there.  
Microwave & toaster in the outside kitchen at our hotel in Katherine
6.  Enjoy a really cold Great Northern Super Crisp beer with lunch and take long naps during the day.
7.  Be a curious eater and try the local bush tucker featured on the menu.  We found the crocodile salad and other dishes made with local meat to be delicious.
8.  Since ice buckets don't seem to exist in Aussie land, being extra nice to the bar tender gets you a nice bag of the cold stuff to take back to your room for your 5 o'clock cocktail.

Stay Curious!

Cheryl & Dan

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