Ah hah we have survived the croc infested waters of the Northern Territory, the 40 degs heat. the 90% humidity, the bush camp with no toilets or showers, the fly infestation and we can now tell you all about our adventures..........

Day 1 - Kakadu National Park

We started our day at 6:30 for our pick up and boarded our 4wd truck with 12 other people (5 of which left us half way thru the trip as they were on a 3 dayer only) and headed to Corroboree Billibong to do a cruise down the Mary River System where 1000s of Saltwater Crocs live (the dealy ones!) with a size of between 3m and 7m in length, We saw a few huge 1s and were told not to move too much so that they didn't come too near the boat - scary stuff! WE also huge lotus pads with lotus flowers (massive things - you can wear them as hats as the rain just drips off - "the lotus effect")

We then travelled on to Ubirr Rock Art site which contains original Aboriginal Art work ranging in age from 2,000 to 50,000 years old and the age of it is determined by what is drawn and with what materials - very fascinating! WE climbed to the top of UBirr rocks to view the Floodplains and wetlands and watch a tropical storm move in - massive lightening show but then it came too close so we had to rush back to the truck.

We set up our 1st night's camp in a minimal facility area that a few dodgy toilets and showers ( aaargh much to my relief) and got our "swags to sleep on - we also opted for a tent too coz of the mossies and 100s of flies( unbearable as they are in your face, nose eyes and ears all the time - needed a fly net which some folk were sensible and had but not us!!) GReig our tour guide who was fab with 12 years experience cooked a great stir fry over our bush fire.

Day 2 - Kakadu National Park

We got up at 6 ( as we did every day - woken up by buzzie flies) and had our camp breakkie ( dodgying flies!) and got a talk by a local aboriginal women on how they live and then got to d aspear throwing competition with local made bush spears - Iain came 2nd with the longest throw and won himself a cap!! While he was "competing" i wove myself a grass bracelet - usually done by aboriginal girls and we got shown locally made digeridoo playing. WE stopped off at the Aboriginal culture centre museum to learn more about Aboriginal life.

After lunch (we set up our 2nd camp for the night - again a few toilets and showers to please me - a bit spider & frog infested tho!) we headed to JIm JIm Falls where we could swim ( at your own risk as freshwater crocs are know to inhabit all watering holes at Kakadu - though they are less deadly and spotted a few croc traps which they use to manage the numbers - quite nerve racking!) and we swam out to the falls where Iain to decided to climbed the rocks and jumo off from the Falls at quite a height!! I also got bit 4 times by fish - pretty damn sore - kept thinking it was a croc! Jim JIm Falls is the 2nd tallest natural flowing Fall in Australia - quite magnificent!

Iain and the rest of the group went caving in the rocks in the most minutist of spaces ( just shoulder width and no more!) - not me coz of my mege claustrophobia!

WEnt then headed to Twin Falls ( which was impassible due to the track being flooded ( as it is the wet season) and climbed rocks to view the sunset over Nourlangie stonelands and watch yet another storm blow in!

We travelled back to our camp where we got stuck along the way as huge trees had blown over the exit tracks so all the guys had to lift up the trees to let the truck go past and then jump back in - i thought we were going to be trapped for the night. When we got back to camp -all our tents had blown away and some poles had broken so we had to rebuilt them all. WE had another yummy camp tea of Fahitas around the fire in the 32 degree heat!

Day 3 - Kakadu National Park

THis was the 3 day trips last day and it started badly, we woke up to a slow puncture on the truck's tyre so we wasted a bit of time changing that and then 30 minutes after getting on the road we had a complete blow out on the front tyre where it was driving on the metal frame - very bad!! After a struggle to change ( not a strong enough jack) and we got eaten by flies and melted in the midday sun we headed off to Gunlom ( waterfall creek) where we hiked to the top to see magnificent views of Arnhem land ( uranium mining country (big business) and also known as "sickness country" by the aboriginals so none of them visit it!) and a nice dip in the plunge pools and mini waterfall.

WE dropped of 5 off the team and change into a 4wd car with trailer - proper bush style and headed to a mega remote bush camp for the night ( not on the itinerary as Greig liked to do things his way!) When we got there it was next to a creek and you could see Buffalo and Dingo ( wild dog) footprints all around the camp. Oh and absolutely no toilets or showers - it was a shovel job!! IT was the hottest night so far but we watched the stars and drank beer and wine while sitting on our swags and munching pasta.

Day 4 - Katherine (Nitmiluk)

We went straight to Katherine GOrge to canoe to the 1st Gorge - lots of freshwater crocs about. We canoed down to the 1 st Gorge stopping along the way for a swim to cool off where we saw crocodile footprints on the embankment and the boys were playing pranks by pulling us under - not amused!! GReat fun doing this for 3 hours but we were nackered coz of the heat. WE went to the Nitmiluk culture centre we were glad of the air-con and found out that there are 13th Gorges in Katherine and we onlygot to Gorge 1 which was hard enough work!

For lunch we headed to Edith Falls (Leliyn) where we had a picnic and then swam out to the falls which was a good 250m and very tiring as once you had started you just to keep going as there was no where to stop - we made it tho and sat under the falls which were pretty strong and kept pushing us back into the creek - we did our 250m swimback and headed to our bush camping site for our final night.

This was again mega remote with nothing but it was right next to Douglas Hot Springs so straight away we set up camp and this time had tarp set up to cover all the tents and the fire as Greig was determined that a storm was brewing even tho there were blue skies and then we headed for a swim and got in to boiling water (54 degs) so it was so refreshing but amazing to be in such hot water. After about 10 mins in the water we had to run back to the camp as the storm had moved so quickly that lightening was right above our heads. WE started preparing tea with a hell of a gale blowing and the lots of lightening and the rain started setting in too. All of a sudden a huge gust of wind came a wrenched the tarp and all the pegs and rope out of the ground blowing half of it away and the tarrp collapsing over the other side of the camp!!! Very scary and Greig said this had never happened in his 12 years and he has run tour in every wet season!!

BUt the show went on and 1 guy started collecting the rope and pegs while 1 girl stood in the storm chopping brocolli while everyone else sat under the destroyed tarp drinking beer and me and 1 girl sat in the 4wd sheltering from the storm!

Greag said the storm could last for hours so we had to srat setting up camp again in the rain ( well the boys did) and secured the tarp better over a smaller area and moved the fire around and before it was complete tea was ready so we had tea in the pissing rain and then secured the tarp in time for bed. A fantastic last night camping - what an eperience!

Day 5 - LItchfield National Park

THis is waterfall country and we first went to Buley Rockholes ( where i met a girl wo lives round the corner from my mum in MOrningside and knew 2 people that i know and we even went to the same school for a bit - small world!) for a swim and then to Florence falls where people who were dumb enough jump off the 50ft waterfalls ( not Iain this time) until a ranger came to fine them - we ended the day at Wangi Falls where you can usuall swim as there are onle(!!) freshwater crocs there but saltwater cros had moved there so instead we did a hike around the back of the falls.

OUr final stop was to meet local Aboriginal artists and watch then hand paint pictures and boomerangs where we bought one of the Mimi spirit - amazing paintings! Oh a pet emu escaped from here and we all had to chase it back to it's pen so that it didn't get run over on the highway.

WE got dropped off at our hostel and after a quick sower ( which was amazing) and a bit to eat we went out to meet the group for a night out!

An absolutely fab trip which we are so glad we done ( and i survived) as we probably never see such amazing things again - fabbi!

WE are just chilling around Darwin - went to the original Darwin Gaol (jail) and art museum today which was fascinating and then we fly to Sydney on Wed night.

Hope all is well

C & I xxx