Charlottes Travel Diary

Today we went to a sacred rock art site at Nourlangie. Where we did 2 and a half different ranger talks. The ranger talks were good. They were all about ochre and aboriginal people and the rocks. The reason it was 2.5 is because we arrived in the middle of one at the start. The ranger was very exciting. He had a roll that he showed us in the last talk that showed the world in the different timings. He had it like a timeline with the ice age through to 100 years ago. Then we went back to the van park and had a swim but unluckily there was a whole school group there full of teenagers that took up most of the pool. Then we went and saw a slide show at the van park. The same ranger was doing it as the one that did the talks at the rock art.

Today we went to Twin Falls and Jim Jim falls. We went to Jim Jim falls first. To get there we went along a dirt road and there were lots of rivers to cross. At Jim Jim falls, we went swimming. Although to get there it was about a 2km walk over big boulders. There were lots and lots of fish but the other people there with us decided to feed the fish. Harry and Emily joined in the feeding. We all got out of the pool as all the fish came in for feeding. Then we hopped out, walked 2km over the boulders back to the car and drove to Twin falls. At Twin falls, you have to go in a boat to get over there as there are too many crocodiles. Then you do about a 1.5km walk over a sort of boardwalk. It was definitely worth it. It was like sitting on a beach, there was lots of water spewing out of the rock face. There was only the other couple we had met at Twin Falls there and us. On the way back, we had a shower. They had showers on the boardwalk.

Today we went to Arnhem land. We went to a shop where we saw some ladies weaving baskets and bags with pandanus spiralis. Pandanus is the plant with the really long leaves and if you wipe your hand along it it could give you a scratch. We went into the shop where mum and dad bought a book, 2 paintings and 2 baskets. After, we had to get back to Jabiru where we were staying. We had to cross a river. Luckily no water came in. It was called Cahill crossing and lots of crocodiles live there.  On the way back, we went to Ubirr rock art. We climbed to the top of the rock and it was really hot. About 40C. It had a really good view. There were 5 different sacred sights where there was rock art. My favourite was the one about a man who in the dreamtime, he broke the law and they tried throwing spears at him but they missed. He dived into the water and turned into a saltwater crocodile.

Today we said goodbye to Grandma and Grandad again and drove back to Kakadu. On the way we stopped at the window to the wetlands. There were free binoculars there and they were fun to use. There was also an information sort of centre where we climbed up a ladder and had a look into a hole where there was a bird and some mangroves (mangroves are trees that can grow in water). After that we drove for about another hour and found a road house where we decided we would have lunch. The roadhouse was called the Bark Hut. When we arrived in Kakadu we went for a swim at the van park.

Today we went to the museum where we had free entry. There was a whole section on cyclone Tracey where you got to go in and listen to a recording in a room with only one very dim bulb as the only light. It sounded dreadful and scary. Then we went over to the boat section where we found Grandma and Grandad. Mum was in the car doing a teleconference the whole time.  Then mum came in and dad took her around the museum while Grandma and Grandad took us to a place called the Discovery centre. We played with the dress ups and Harry and Emily and I put on a show. Then we went and had lunch in the park. Mum was half way through the museum, so after dad took her the whole way through and we went back to the discovery centre. Then we went to the Mindil markets again that evening. At the markets we had dinner. Harry, Emily and I shared nachos and mum and dad had battered, fried prawns and hot spicy stir-fry. There was a man there that chose five people out of the audience. He made sure they were strong and tough. He asked them all to hold a pole. He climbed the pole, sat on the top and juggled fire.

Today at 8 o’clock we needed to have the car in for its service so we got up really early. The Mitsubishi people in their van took us to the cinemas where we watched Zookeeper. Zookeeper is a movie about a man and some animals. He is a zookeeper but his ex-girlfriend doesn’t like him because he’s not the man that she wants. The animals reveal their secret that they can talk. The man in the end marries a veterinary. After the movies we went shopping. I bought a pair of pants from Supre. We hopped back into the Mitsubishi peoples can and they drove us back to the car place. When we arrived, our car was done so we drove home and had a swim.

Today we went to the water lagoon where we spent 4 hours. There is a wave pool there. It was heaps of fun. There are rubber rings and we got to sit in them and get washed away by the waves. People can’t swim in the oceans up here they have to swim in the pools because of the box jellyfish and crocodiles in the ocean.  After that we went out for lunch at an Irish pub. Then we went back to the caravan park and met Grandma and Grandad. Then we went swimming. Then I went out for dinner with mum and dad and Harry and Emily stayed with Grandma and Grandad. We had Sri Lankan curries for dinner. It was really, really yummy.

Today dad and I took the car in to get fixed. Once we’d dropped it off we went to McDonalds and dad had a coffee. That was the first time we had been to McDonalds since leaving home.  Then we went to the shops and shopped for 2 hours. After, we went back to the fix it place and watched television and did some homework. Then we went to McDonalds and had lunch. Then we went back to the fix it place and watched more television. Mum and Harry and Emily stayed at the caravan park and went swimming and mum worked. The car was fixed. It was a sensor pipe that had fallen off.

Today we decided that we would have to drive to Darwin to get the car fixed. We said goodbye to Grandma and Grandad. It took us 4 hours to get there instead of 2 and we had no air conditioning. It was very, very hot as it was 40 degrees outside.  When we arrived, we set up and had a swim. Then we went to the Mindil markets. Harry and Emily and I had noodles and fried rice while mum and dad had spicy stir fry. There were lots of markets so we spent about 2 hours there. We had a decision where we could choose either: an ice-cream, a jump on the jumping castle or a turn on the clowns. Of course, we all chose different things. Harry decided the clowns, I decided an ice-cream (the ice-creams were massive!) and Emily went on the jumping castle. Then we went home to bed.

Today we got up early and went to a ranger talk at 8:30. It went for an hour and we walked 2km. We learnt all bout aboriginal peoples food and saw lots of lizards and a snake. After that we went to the cultural centre at Cooinda. We watched a movie and had a look at all the displays of aboriginal food and there were things they used. Then we went back to the van park for a swim. Then we went on the sunset boat cruise on Yellow Water lagoon. On the boat cruise we saw lots of saltwater crocodiles. We saw lots of mozzies and a few tree snakes. Lots of different birds and lots of kingfishers. Then dad cooked up the last of our fish that we caught in Karumba and we had fish and chips for dinner.