August 16, 2012
August 16, 2012
Aimee is in heaven; this cruise is a bird lover’s paradise. We have never seen the variety of interesting and colorful birds anywhere else. Our favorites are the Sea Eagle (a Bald Eagle look-alike), the Jesus Bird (walks on water), the Whistling Kite, the Jabiru Stork, and Azure Kingfisher. We also saw plenty of Ibises, Cormorants, Darters, Egrets, and Magpie Geese. Aimee now thinks it truly is Kakadoooo. Plus our Aborigine captain and guide was outstanding. He could steer the boat, spot wildlife in the thicket, and provide a running commentary without losing a beat.
After the cruise we stop at the nearby cultural center to learn about the Aborigine of northern Australia. We thought it was much better done than the more famous one in Uluru. Nonetheless, we found the gift store to be most educational. The sales clerk was a wealth of info. I thought her best comment was about the derivation of the name, didgeridoo. That is not what Aborigines call their musical instrument but what the English thought it sounded like. If you say didgeridoo several times in low baritone, it mimics the musical sound. We ended up buying three boomerangs painted with Aboriginal art from her.
From Cooinda we drove south through the park. The outback was endless and monotonous. Nothing but flat dry grass prairie peppered with skinny trees. We reluctantly passed the turnout to JimJim Falls. It is supposed to be spectacular but like many spots in Australia, it requires a 4WD vehicle and an extra day to visit.
We eventually hit the Stuart Highway that leads south to Alice Springs. We took it partway to the town of Katherine. There we exited and drove to Nitmiluk National Park. Right past the entrance we saw a grass field full of Wallabies, a miniature version of the kangaroo. We spent the night in the park campground where we ran into several of these little creatures begging for food. Because their front arms are so short, they almost look handicapped when they walk around on all fours.
After dinner I struck up a conversation with our neighbor. He turned out to a fascinating semi-famous character. Although named Jon Muir, he is not to be confused with the famous American naturalist John Muir. This Muir has done some amazing treks, like walking solo across Australia, and skiing to the North and South Poles. He even has some books and DVD about his treks. Jon gave me a rundown about eating “bush tucker” on his cross continent journey. Tucker is Australian for food and bush tucker is what the aborigines used to eat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG9zhniND-8
We are finding that lots of Australians are adventurous. I guess it comes with the territory. Which brings me to a fifth reason for not going to Australia. Much of it is not easily reached. There aren’t a lot of roads in Australia and many aren’t paved. We have run into many Australians traveling these rough 4WD roads. They bush camp along the way carrying two wheels, two tires, extra water and gas, and a fully stocked tool chest.
From our campground in Kakadu National Park we drove a few miles to Cooinda and bought tickets for the morning Yellow Water Billabong cruise. Billabongs are Australian lakes that expand and contract with the seasons. In the dry season the animals are forced to concentrate in the shrinking billabong. That makes animal sightings more likely. This area is analogous to our Everglades. It is a beautiful sea of floating grass crisscrossed by water channels. Our large pontoon boat can easily navigate the shallow canals. 
I want to see Saltwater Crocodiles. That is not a problem for they are everywhere. We see lots of smaller females and one large male. “Salties” are the meaner, big cousins of our alligators. Signs are posted at most bodies of water warning against going too close. Salties like to hunt prey that lingers too long at the water’s edge. They pounce, drag you in, and drown you with a death roll.
I want to see Saltwater Crocodiles. That is not a problem for they are everywhere. We see lots of smaller females and one large male. “Salties” are the meaner, big cousins of our alligators. Signs are posted at most bodies of water warning against going too close. Salties like to hunt prey that lingers too long at the water’s edge. They pounce, drag you in, and drown you with a death roll.
Aimee is in heaven; this cruise is a bird lover’s paradise. We have never seen the variety of interesting and colorful birds anywhere else. Our favorites are the Sea Eagle (a Bald Eagle look-alike), the Jesus Bird (walks on water), the Whistling Kite, the Jabiru Stork, and Azure Kingfisher. We also saw plenty of Ibises, Cormorants, Darters, Egrets, and Magpie Geese. Aimee now thinks it truly is Kakadoooo. Plus our Aborigine captain and guide was outstanding. He could steer the boat, spot wildlife in the thicket, and provide a running commentary without losing a beat.
From Cooinda we drove south through the park. The outback was endless and monotonous. Nothing but flat dry grass prairie peppered with skinny trees. We reluctantly passed the turnout to JimJim Falls. It is supposed to be spectacular but like many spots in Australia, it requires a 4WD vehicle and an extra day to visit.
We eventually hit the Stuart Highway that leads south to Alice Springs. We took it partway to the town of Katherine. There we exited and drove to Nitmiluk National Park. Right past the entrance we saw a grass field full of Wallabies, a miniature version of the kangaroo. We spent the night in the park campground where we ran into several of these little creatures begging for food. Because their front arms are so short, they almost look handicapped when they walk around on all fours.
After dinner I struck up a conversation with our neighbor. He turned out to a fascinating semi-famous character. Although named Jon Muir, he is not to be confused with the famous American naturalist John Muir. This Muir has done some amazing treks, like walking solo across Australia, and skiing to the North and South Poles. He even has some books and DVD about his treks. Jon gave me a rundown about eating “bush tucker” on his cross continent journey. Tucker is Australian for food and bush tucker is what the aborigines used to eat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG9zhniND-8
We are finding that lots of Australians are adventurous. I guess it comes with the territory. Which brings me to a fifth reason for not going to Australia. Much of it is not easily reached. There aren’t a lot of roads in Australia and many aren’t paved. We have run into many Australians traveling these rough 4WD roads. They bush camp along the way carrying two wheels, two tires, extra water and gas, and a fully stocked tool chest.
posted by Mike and Aimee at 8:58 AM
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