COVID lockdowns .
We found ourselves well into Tropical Savanna country with dense grasslands and scattered woodland trees . This vegetation is very fire prone . While travelling north from Katherine to our next stopover at Batchelor we started to see fire burning along the edge of the road . It was unclear if this was wildfire or controlled burning . There were many Black Kite birds hunting for small animals along the fire front . Some of these Black Kites were carrying burning sticks to further spread the fire for their hunting . What a privilege to see this as we rode past .
At Batchelor the tropical evenings were perfect for outdoor eating . Seeing the colourful birds and flowering trees , meeting interesting locals and enjoying tasty food while talking through our adventures of the day . What a joy to share such an exciting trip .
It was a 68km ride out to our favourite waterfall in Litchfield National Park . That was the lovely Wangi Falls . What a place ! Spending a few hours swimming in the large pool under the waterfall was just heaven . The high pressure water spray from the falls was cool and the rest of the pool warm . This is the life . Winter swimming in the tropics .
Traveling out through Litchfield National Park there were so many large termite mounds of different shapes and sizes . There were also palm trees to add to the tropical atmosphere . Australia is such an interesting country .
Reaching the city of Darwin provided an opportunity for drifters and dreamers to stop , relax , stock up on supplies and enjoy the beautiful harbour views , tropical gardens and Aboriginal art galleries . With its proximity to south east Asia , there is a significant multicultural influence in Darwin .
When visiting Darwin , Mindil Beach Sunset Market is a must do . We timed it for the first reopening of the market after the COVID shutdown . This was an opportunity to experience Darwin on a balmy tropical evening . The colourfully dressed market goers moved from the market to the beach to watch the sunset . When the sun finally dipped into the azure blue Timor Sea , the thousands of people watching clapped in applause at the spectacular show nature had just performed .
From Darwin we drifted east to stay at the town of Jabiru in Kakadu National Park . We arrived at Kakadu shortly after the reopening after the pandemic restrictions . In Kakadu there is a treasure trove of rock art , wetlands , wildlife , plants , waterfalls , and sandstone escarpments to explore . Thank you to the Aboriginal traditional owners for sharing their country and allowing me to use the
TRAVERSE 78