More Kakadu joy...

What I find so amazing is that just 3 hours from Darwin is the most splendid natural paradise to freely drink up to one's heart's content..cannot get the land out of my dreams...
I have become obsessed with the basket weaving of the women from Arnemland and that area! Everywhere we went, I found I had just missed a weaving workshop with an Aboriginal elder woman! I came home none the wiser as to how to actually make these baskets, but with a few gorgeous small examples of the work. Then I found this website Arnhem weavers and I am desperately plotting how I could possibly go back up and do one of these workshops , sleeping in croc proof bark huts and weaving and dying pandanas!

Well, until I find myself back in Arnhemland I will have to settle for buying a bunch of raffia and plaiting a basket.

Kakadu Dream...

This incredible place, so full of huge tree spirits singing, wild crocodiles baking themselves, or sliding through the rivers like silent dinosaurs. The stories the ochre paintings in the rocks tell, of spirit-being sisters playing cheeky games , transforming into crocs until they stay that way, the lightning god Nammagon, cheeky mullet fish who jump back into the river when no-one is watching, of wild yellow flowers announcing the lovemaking of crocs and turtles, or billabongs full of giant pink lotuses!! I am swooning...this place, Kakadu, Northern Territiry...like another country , I am preparing to board the plane, scarves and socks tucked in the hand luggage for the Melbourne wee hours arrival.

Divine Waters and Red Dirt!

I am in love with the red rocks and dirt up here in the Northern Territory. We just spent three nights camping around the blissful waters, (free of the legendery killer crocs) bathing in the cooling waters and the hot springs amongst Pandanas trees and red rock. Being dwarfed by the brilliance of termite construction genius, gazing into the depest red sunsets, baking under the full moon under the mozzie nets, sleeping in swags...starting to wonder what anyone else would be doing anywhere else? Yes, slipping into holiday oblivion...

The Tropical Adventurites!

The tropical adventure has begun! The first few days has been about allowing the stress of life in Melbourne to slowly seep through the pores and be absorbed by the benevolent gigantuan palm trees out the window. Lots of staring at green, green green...swimming in the pool, strolling the Darwin markets, they do love a market up here! Learning to drive a clapped-out scary backpacker van, and control my worrisome mother mind about things like brake failure and being stranded in massive HOT national parks...We set off to an amazing national park full of waterfalls and plunge pools!! to camp for a few days!