Day 17: Kakadu National Park

The kids are wide awake at 6 o'clock, and unfortunately, we have to get up too. We have breakfast and then make our way to Mamukala, a birdwatching spot with a walking trail. There is nobody here either. Only one more car and a few kangaroos have found their way here. We observe the birds from the birdhide and then armed with mosquito nets for the buggy and mosquito hats for ourselves, we set off on the walking trail. The mosquitoes are not a problem at the moment, but there are hundreds of flies swarming around us. The walking trail is easily doable with the buggy, but it is rather monotonous and only passes a short distance by the water where birds can be observed. The temperatures are already above 30 degrees Celsius by 9 o'clock, and we are sweating a lot. A cool watermelon brings refreshment.

We continue driving to the northern end of the national park. We check out the Merl campground. According to the travel guide, it is essential to reserve in advance here. When we arrive, there are no cars at all. Since there is no electricity, we decide against this overnight alternative.

Our next destination is Ubirr. Here is a small walking trail of about 1 km where Aboriginal rock paintings can be seen. Before we set off, we have a bite to eat. Due to the intense heat, we decide to use the buggy as a means of transportation (only partially suitable, as there are some things to climb). Ubirr is a beautiful spot. The Aboriginal rock paintings are very well preserved, and from the hill that can be climbed, you have a great view of the surroundings. When we get back to the car, the thermometer shows an incredible 43 degrees Celsius. We are all completely sweaty and desperately need an ice cream. Thunder rumbles, and the first raindrops start to fall.

Our destination for today is Cooinda. The journey from Ubirr to Cooinda (about 70 km) is entertaining. The changeable weather (thunderstorms, sun, rain, rainbow) gives the landscape a fantastic atmosphere. We arrive at the camp at 5:30 pm and check in. We get pitch number 7. We also book the boat tour for tomorrow morning. We have to get up early because the bus to the boat leaves at 6:25 am.

Samuel has been talking about swimming the whole trip, so we head straight to the pool, which is huge.

9th November 2016

Accommodation: Cooinda Caravan Park (1 night 41 AUD), nice place with a huge swimming pool and a small playground, lovely facilities, well-maintained

Weather: sunny, thunderstorms and rain in the afternoon, 37 degrees Celsius

192 kilometers driven today out of a total of 778 kilometers