Sunday 17^th June, 2012

During the night we experienced different noises. First our fire alarm started to beep and only calmed down after we removed the batteries. We guess it was the cold smoke from the fireplaces. Then there was the howling of the dingos and at the end the birds whistling their morning song. We just started to drive when a few wallabies jumped over the road. A bit further a dingo crossed the road. At Yurmilkmik we started to hike to a viewpoint. We just start as Konrad spotted moving rocks. At a second look they were wild pigs. Some of their ancestors must have been escaped. Then we crossed a suspension bridge and hiked through dry grass to the view point. Here again we had a wonderful view over the National Park. Here I got induced to walk another few kilometers to the Motor Car Falls. A wide path led nearly to the falls, only the last few meters we had to climb over rocks. The effort was worth it as we got to a waterfall with a relaxing ambiance.

Back at the camper we continued driving to Bukbukluk and a short walk allowed for another view over the park. Then we drove to the Gagudju Lodge in Cooinda. On the way we saw at times the flames blazing in the grass to clean the country. After a break we drove to Nourlangie. A walkabout passed different places with rock art. Then we walked up the nearby Nawurlnadja and enjoyed the view to Nourlangie. As the sun was about to set we drove slowly back to the camping site. On the way we saw a wallaby crossing the road. In the restaurant of the lodge we enjoyed a nice dinner. Our stock of food is going low and as we are soon flying back we did not buy much.

Monday 11^th June, 2012

In the morning we drove to the Mamukala Wetland. Here we made a short hike through the bush. We saw a big waterhole with some birds enjoying themselves. The area around the path was mostly burned down. It is normal here that the shrubs are burned down. This is done at the beginning of the dry season, also now. Next morning the fire will be put out by the thaw. Like this the Aboriginals clean every few years a part of the forest. This reduces the changes of big bushfires at the end of the dry season which destroy everything. The Kakadu National Park is owned by the Aboriginals. They leased the country to the government to run a National Park. There are more than 5000 places with rock art in the National Park, but only two of them are allowed to be visited by tourists. One of them is in Ubirr. We mazed at the many rock paintings and hiked up and up. Already in the middle of the hill and the more on the top we had a wonderful view over the country. Then we drove to the Bardedjilidji Walk. At the start we were informed that we should not go to close to the water as crocodiles have been seen lately at the river shore. We hiked through bush to the river. It was a nice hike and we did not meet a crocodile. After we drove back to Ubirr and listened to a ranger who told us about the plain and its history and significance. As the presentation was over the sun slowly set and we enjoyed a beautiful sunset.