From 24 passengers to 5! And 2 guides! The tour up from Alice Springs to Darwin was much much quieter and a more relaxed affair (I actually got to wake up after the sun had risen). Had fun climbing round the Devil's Marbles - unlike some of the other aboriginal rock formations the locals don't seem to mind people wandering anywhere and everywhere.
We also embarked upon the longest pub crawl ever - only a few hundred kilometres between each pub! Including a stop at the famous Daly Waters Pub which was a major stopping point for all the cattle herders accross north and west Australia (check out the weather forecaster in the photos). Also en route: strange shops where the local shopkeeper took my law school membership card to add to his collection, the UFO capital of the world (complete with bizarre chinese doll collection) and several watering holes for a quick dip. We only stopped briefly in Tennant Creek - there were more arrests there last year than there are people living in the town.
Touched down in Darwin and I raced to the evening market by the beach, just caught sun set before my camera batteries died. Little bit of trinkett shopping and crocodile for dinner.
The next day the crocs tried to get their own back. I hit Adeleaide river for a jumping croc cruise where all the big salt water crocs were jumping out the water to snap up big chunks of meat hung over the side on a fishing rod. I was very pleased to be up on the top deck of the boat!
Spent the afternoon in Litchfield national park jumping from waterfall to waterfall to keep cool. Very picturesque and relaxing. And very nice to keep cool in the water as the humidity was much higher round the top end. Spent my last night under the stars at the open air cinema in Darwin before flying home. Great holiday, great company, great photos, great memories.
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