DAG 97: Kakadu

"ok people, mumble, mumble, noise, noise, mummble, KAKADU, mumble, more noise, mumble 4 meters high, more aussie mumble". So sounds the explanation of our tourguide through the soundsystem of the car, all his words get blown away by the airco. Everybody in the group is complaining that we can't here him at all, but when he turns the volume up we hear a snearing beep. The solution is to turn the aico off, but its hot outside so we will be frying. Its almost 40 degrees with a humidity of 90%. Even thinking makes us sweat, so we choose for the mumbling instead. Our guide doesn't mind that he is the only one that can hear him.

At one point our guide drops us of at the Mary river site. Leaving us flabbergasted when he drives off. Nobody did hear him say when he will return, leaving us here behind with the possibility of crocodiles. Because the last thing we did hear, was don't get in to the water!

But we don't see any crocodiles (there must be thousands of them in this area) but there are hundreds of annoying flies. These flies are smart, they go directly for your eyes, nose and ears. and did i tell you about the mosquitos? The pharmacist gave me a 80%deet stick! She said that the mosquitos seems to prefer white european. There is even one mosquito that can give you a kind of sleepdisease. There is no cure for it, she says, selling me the 80% deet instantly. Welcome to my second campingtrip in Kakadu Park: the scenery of Crocodile Dundee.

Kakadu is Australia's largest national park (East of Darwin) and shelters a variaty of habitats and wildlife, including thousands of snakes and offcourse the fresh and saltwalter crocodiles. The park is joint managed by Parks australia and the traditional owners, the Bininj and Mungguy, who lived in Kakadu for at least 50.000 years. Most of the land is returned to the Aboriginals, who leases it now to the goverment. Kakadu was one of the first parts that has been returned.

The whole area knows two cilmates, the dry season and the wet season. At this moment the wet season has started. Soon this part will be hit by thunderstorms, monsoons, thyphoons and heaps of rain. The rivers will be flooded and most of the land will filled with water. Spreading the wildlife acros the area.
The best part of the tour is when i get up the second day at 5:30. Wllaroos (a little bit smaller than Kangaroos and bigger than Walabies) are a few meter behind my tent. some are fighting giving me a first seat of a good boxingshow.

And did we see crocs? Well the best one i saw was the 7meter saltwater crocodile, with the well chosen name 'sweetheart', but it was in the art museum. they killed him, because he was attacking boats in the river. We got a glimpse of three crocodiles during the rivercruise on the Saint Mary River. Kindly sleeping like we did one hour later.

and the mosquitos? Well they didn't sting me, but i am Whasian (or the 80% deet worked)

and this is what camping in Kakadu looks like:

First you lok at some 10.000year old Aboriginal art


then you enjoy the views of the wetland

and enjoy more views of the wetlands

Dont forget to read the signs before you enter the area

Then you spot the wildlife, they blend in easily. But they are cute as your handbag

and you look out for more wildlife

You go for a swim because it is sooooo hot.


Sucker, You forgot the read the signs!!!!!!!!!!!


And you go out camping, hope the wetseason storm will pass you.


and next day you start enjoying the wetlands again.