Day 19: Kakadu National Park - Katherine

Today Maxima is our alarm clock. She is well-rested and shining like the sun. We have breakfast and get the camper van ready because we have a long journey ahead of us. We want to drive to Katherine. We are making good progress and the kids are sleeping.

In Pine Creek, we make a quick stop. The kids have a snack while Michael explores the old train station.

At 2 PM, we arrive at the Edith Falls. Perfect timing for a refreshing swim in the lake. We are advised not to swim in the water between 7 PM and 7 AM due to the freshwater crocodiles. The ranger says it's not a problem during the day, but we still have a strange feeling. Michael gets very excited when two guests wearing camouflage hats appear in the bay. At first, he thinks they are crocodiles and then thinks it's Loch Ness.

The heat has changed compared to Kakadu National Park. It is much drier and to our delight, there are fewer mosquitoes.

We want to stay at the Springvale Homestead Farm. Unfortunately, it is closed, so we decide to go to the nearby Big4 campground. The campground is huge with over 160 pitches, and there are 5 of us campers.

I cook shrimp and asparagus risotto while Michi explores the site with the kids. We finally have a meal at a reasonable temperature and without mosquitoes outdoors. Afterwards, we jump into the swimming pool and meet Josef from the Black Forest. He and his wife have been to Australia 6 times before, but she sadly passed away a year ago. Now he is making the Australia trip they had dreamed of for their retirement alone. We make plans to have a beer and chat later in the evening when the kids are asleep. It turns out to be more than one beer. It's the first time we sit outside in the evening. It is nice and warm but still pleasant, and there are no mosquitoes. A little owl is curious about us and watches us from the power box.

11/11/2016

Accommodation: Big4 Katherine Holiday Park (1 night, 34 AUD), nice and well-maintained place, huge, beautiful pool

Weather: sunny, 38 degrees Celsius

307 kilometers traveled out of the total 1,178 km