After two exciting flights, we have arrived in Darwin. The temperature is a tropical 34 degrees. It's quite overwhelming for us. We hope we can quickly acclimate to the climate. Since it's currently the rainy season, there is extremely high humidity which makes it difficult for us.
We take a taxi to our motorhome. Everything goes smoothly and we can settle into our new home. The kids have a bunk bed again. The kitchenette is spacious, but the bathroom is so small that it's hardly usable.
Once our bags are unpacked, we go to the grocery store. We buy the essentials and then head to the beach for dinner.
We enjoy the sunset until the storm reaches us. The clouds over the sea look spectacular. And the light from the setting sun is very special.We're not allowed to sleep here, but we're drawn back to the beach for breakfast.
15th November 2022 ● Litchfield National Park
It's slowly getting light around five o'clock. We're almost the only ones on the beach at 6 AM. We find many white hollow balls with a star on them.
After breakfast, our next chapter with new adventures begins.
We're heading two hours south of Darwin to Litchfield National Park. There are many waterfalls to discover, termite mounds, and always small wallabies by the roadside or in the park.
☆ 1. Wangi Falls
We can already hear the water rushing from a distance. Gigantic amounts of water fall into the depths and flood the banks. The paths around them are submerged, and we can't get a clear view of the waterfalls. But kangaroos are jumping around the meadow instead.
We get a firsthand experience of what the rainy season means here. It's raining cats and dogs for hours, and the roads are flooded. We dare to drive through a half-meter-deep flooded section.
Later on, we realize that the first step inside the motorhome has been flooded.
☆2. Tolmer Falls
After a short walk, we have a breathtaking view over the treetops into the endless expanse.
To the right, the waterfall is carving new paths into the red rocks.
☆ 3. Florence Falls
Equipped with an umbrella and rain poncho, we head to the next viewpoint with a view of the waterfall.
Upon closer inspection, we discover thousands of flying foxes in the trees below us. We can't stop marveling because there's not a single tree left unoccupied.
Before we get washed away by the rain, we move on.
☆ 4. Magnetic Termite Mounds
The last attraction in the park is the termite mounds.
We've already seen various mounds during the drive, but what's here on the meadow is unbelievable. The light, the silence, and the view of the cathedrals make time stand still.
We've already received so many impressions on the second day, making it all feel surreal. I think we need a few more days to realize everything we've seen.
We spend the night at a rest area on the highway.
As the sun sets, we're already exhausted in bed. But sleep is out of the question. We hear a loud concert of animal sounds. Knocking, crawling, squeaking, croaking, and so on... Countless sounds are overwhelming us. We don't know who or where they're coming from. This is not the most restful sleep, but at least we can experience a fantastic starry sky again.
16th November 2022 ● Around Katherine
On the way to the next bigger city, Katherine, we make a detour to Nitmiluk National Park. Here, there are red rock formations, rivers, and waterfalls. We hike on a circular trail to a natural swimming pool.
First, we pass a river that is open for swimming, but the 'rare' risk of crocodiles makes us too apprehensive to swim comfortably.
So we go uphill first. After conquering the sweaty ascent, we can once again enjoy endless views over the mountain peaks.
We continue over the red rocks, through green grasses and bushes, always on the lookout for the next directional arrow.
We can't believe our eyes at the natural swimming pool. We didn't expect such a beautiful and peaceful place inviting us for a swim. In the background, the Edith Falls are splashing through the rocks.
With an air temperature of 44 degrees Celsius, the water is a welcome relief. But as soon as we start the return journey, the cooling is over, and we're already drenched in our own sweat again. When we reach the car, we put up our feet and eat watermelon.
Then we continue to Katherine. It's a small town that has all the necessities. We drive a bit further to the Cutta Cutta Caves, a cave with tall stalagmites and stalactites. The rare Ghost Horseshoe Bats are also said to inhabit this cave. After 20 km, we're disappointed to find out that the park is closed. So we have to turn back to Katherine and then take the turnoff to the east. During the drive, a heavy rain shower suddenly starts, and in no time, there are raging rivers at the roadside. The rain comes and goes quickly. We set up our camp in a dreamy setting in Gregory, surrounded by red mountain ranges.
After parking, white cockatoos fly over to us and settle next to us at a puddle. They drink and curiously look at us.
Benedikt is more than excited. He recently 'talked' with one at the zoo, and now we see them here in the wild. It's beautiful to watch.
17th November 2022 ● Continuing through the desert
The warmth at night made it difficult for us to sleep peacefully. We hope to reach colder areas soon.
The sun wakes us up promptly at 6 AM. Looking out the window, we see kangaroos hopping and parrots flying.
The red rock formations in Gregory National Park are glowing in the sun. We start our hike at the slightly cooler morning temperatures. Since the land here is rather flat, the rock formations rise steeply into the sky. So we have to make a sporty climb to the viewpoint.
We climb over loose stones, large rocks, and dry grasses. We make it to the summit just before the rain comes and have a beautiful view of the Victoria River.
Today, we travel nearly 300 km and reach Lake Argyle. In the process, we cross the border from the Northern Territory to Western Australia. Once again, we experience déjà vu because we're not allowed to bring fruits and vegetables with us. We can eat our food during a quick stop before the border. After that, we continue without any problems.Tonight, we'll sleep at a campground and treat ourselves to the luxury of electricity and air conditioning. After settling into our spot, we go to the infinity pool.
*WOW* what a view.
We're directly overlooking Lake Argyle. It's the largest water reservoir in Australia and six times the size of Lake Constance.
