Departed at approx 08.30 for final destination – Katherine.

First stop was at the lower section of this rock – sacred to the Aboriginals – Anbangbang in their language.

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The tropical rain kindly stopped for our walk through the savannah to the base of the rock, where we viewed some of the Aboriginal rock paintings.

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Explanations were given by Debs our guide, who, over the years had befriended Jeffrey Lee, one of the elders of the Aboriginal Clan looking after Anbangbang. Only a certain amount of information is dispensed by the elders – more given as trust is earned. A further climb via rough path over a couple of hundred metres, took us to a lookout above tree canopy level.

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Offered amazing views over the surrounding countryside.

Wandered back down and moved on to a jetty to board for our Yellow River trip. Fascinating bird spotting plus sightings of crocodiles in the flesh!

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These were female Estuarine crocs about 3-4 m in length. None of the big boys sighted.

Birdwise, lots of cockatoo and many others whose names I’ll have to look up! Also caught sight of a panicking wallaby who had found himself cut off by the rising floodwaters, and who would soon find himself on the menu for a hungry croc.

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Back ashore and quick lunch at Coolinda, before moving on apx 350km to Katherine and checked in to hotel (motel) outside town.

And one more photo for Helen, taken back at Anbangbang –

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Departed Darwin at 8am by coach with new driver/guide, Debs, who had just returned yesterday from a holiday in Bali. 300mls planned today ending up in the far east part of Kakadu, in the village of Jabiru.

Leaving Darwin we drove through Palmerston, a town built since Tracy in 1974. Further on skirted the small town of Humpty Doo, before entering the Kakadu National Park, which is categorised as Sub Tropical Savannah Woodland.

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Above : paper bark tree. Many uses for Aboriginal people, including bedding, bandages, cooking etc.

Kakadu is an area plentiful in wildlife, particularly birds of some 70 species. Also caught sight of more wallabies and dingos, together with kingfishers, parakeets and fruit bats amongst others. Drove close by an enormous firing and bombing range used by Australian and American Marines. Comfort stop at a Nature Reserve Station, then further on to Aboriginal Stone Country – an area of land surrounded by 300mls of porceleinite cliffs – and held in great religious significance by the Aborigines. Our main reason for coming here was to visit a Uranium mine, comprising 5 enormous craters dug in the ground. Digging has now stopped, but processing of Uranium ore is still continuing. The 5 holes have to be filled in over the next 30 years before the land is returned to the original settlers. One of the holes looks like this:

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Currently filled with approx 30m of water thanks to the tropical rain storms which they seemed to be recently, and we are experiencing yesterday and today – and continuing tonight! The “hills” in the background have been formed from the mining excavations and will be flattened once the refilling commences. Retraced our steps back to Jabiru.

Staying at the Crocodile Hotel (built in the shape of a croc when seen from the air!) for one night only. Moving on tomorrow to Katherine.

BTW, Travelled a considerable distance today on the Stuart Highway, named after John McDouall Stuart. An engineer born in Dysart, Fife.

No flying today! City tour with our driver/guide Winfield. Winfield came over here on holiday from New Zealand 30 years ago and has been here ever since! Had countless points of interest pointed out to us. Made stops at:

Darwin war museum. Well planned recounting of how Darwin was flattened by the Japanese on 19th February 1942. Apart from a first class A/V presentation, there were scores of exhibits of uniforms, models, paintings and hand weapons, plus, outside, there was a huge exhibition of service vehicles and large armaments of all sorts. Darwin had been caught off guard on the fateful night, and thought the swarm of aircraft approaching were American. Sadly it was the Japanese attacking , dropping more incendiary bombs on Darwin than were used on Pearl Harbour. After the war all the remaining steelwork from guns and buildings was cleared away – by a Japanese contractor – nobody else wanted to do it!

Qantas Museum. Set up by a local resident who collected anything and everything to do with vintage vehicles, cars vans and motor bikes. All housed in an old aircraft hanger, through the back we wandered through workshops where volunteers make the proud claim that they will refurbish any and all items donated to them.

Darwin Botanic Gardens. As expected, very exotic! Plants and trees from all over the tropical Northern Territories . Caught eight of a Children’s Python sunning itself on the branch of a tree. After a flurry of photography, Winfield assured us it was a very good model!

North Point to view a large number of wallabies in their natural habitat.

Darwin Museum and Art Gallery. Visited the specialist exhibition on spiders. Also a very interesting exhibition on the effects of Cyclone Tracy (1974), which, again, devastated Darwin. This included entering a pitch black room to experience the noise of the Cyclone as it happened. Also viewed Sweetheart, the largest crocodile captured in the area. She died as she was being towed back out to the flood plains. Since 1976, crocodiles have been a protected species in NT.

Returned back to hotel via the port area, and had open air pools indicated, that are, normally, crocodile free!

Last visit of the day was to Darwin market. Multitude of stalls selling local arts and crafts, food of course, and fruit stalls selling fruits that I had never seen or heard of!

Relaxing afternoon in the room while there was an absolutely torrential downpour!

Round corner to local pub for some very pleasant food – then back to zip up the case ready for moving on in the morning.

Early start today to get to Perth Airport for 7am to pick up the 3 1/2 hr flight to Darwin, capital of Northern Territory.

Did wonder why, on Tuesday, when we arrived here, just why the airport was so quiet. Now know that the terminal at which we arrived was built specially to receive the 787 Dreamliner passengers – which amounts to only ONE arrival and departure each day! Hence the tumbleweed rolling through the customs hall! I’m sure this peacefulness won’t last forever! But even Terminal 1 from which we departed this morning was not overly busy.

Arrived into Darwin in 36 deg C and 80% humidity!! Even now at 10.30 in the evening, it is still 27 deg. On the way to the Novotel hotel this afternoon our driver kindly gave us a quick orientation tour of this small town – two main streets parallel to the Esplanade which is the location of our hotel. Mitchell street which is wall to wall restaurants and pubs, and another street which is the main shopping street. Detailed Darwin tour tomorrow! Finishing the day by watching “Beauty and the Beast” on the TV.

Different sort of day today!

Early start to get to quay to pick up ferry to Rottnest Island. Marcus gave us our tickets, which we soon found out, according to the ferry company, included neither an island tour or lunch. However,an email to Marcus sorted it out and we were assured on board that we would have a tour then lunch.

Left Perth and headed downriver via Freemantle to the ocean. That’s when things got rough, and you found the Indian Ocean is not as calm as the Swan River! Ferry going at 30 knots through waves and over them, whilst rolling from side to side. Several times I was left in mid air while the seat disappeared below me, and I came crashing down a second later! Eventually got to the island (only 30mins but felt longer!). 40mins later we were on the coach for a described tour of the island, which, I must say was well designed and well commentated by local guide, Yvette. Made a couple of photo stops en route, then back to near the docking point for lunch. Got multiple photos of the little quockas – a marsupial related to the kangaroo and about the size of a domestic cat – only breeding in the wild on this island. Very tame and friendly!

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Back on the 5pm ferry. Not as violent in terms of rolling, either due to the fact that we were used to it, but, more possibly, that we were travelling with the wind as opposed to into it!

Landed, and got the Rottnest Express coach back to the hotel to dump stuff and 15min later to head out to the same pub as last night for some food and wine!

Sorry, photos not uploading – will keep trying!

Began with a city tour of Perth. Big city – very spread out. Lots of 50s/60s architecture, but also 80s, 90s, and 2000 styles interspersed. Noted one curved building that focussed the sun (remember the old magnifying glass trick?) onto cars parked nearby and they were bursting into flames for no apparent reason. Stopped for a walk in Kings Park- the world’s largest inner-city green space. On to Freemantle, stopping at beach where A had a paddle! Down to quayside to pick up ferry back down the Swan river to Perth. Back to hotel for a cooldown before meeting for a group meal, suggested by Marcus, at the Grosvener hotel restaurant – very pleasant! Walk back to hotel and scribbling this blog! Think jetlag officially over!

Black swan, official bird of WA. Pictured in Kings Park.

Monday- picked up at 04.20. At Edin Airport at 04.50. Check-in doesn’t open till 6am gggrrrr!

Anyway, all flights on time. Landed in Perth at 11.50hrs local time – still didn’t sleep, despite doing my best over the 17 hrs. Almost had to watch a movie! A did get about an hour!

Our tour manager, Marcus, introduced himself en route. Discovered we have only 11 in our group — yes!! Makes a change from 49 on the last Riviera trip!

Transferred to Mercure Hotel, welcome drink then out to nearby pub for some tea. To bed, I think, as soon as I post this!

Will attempt a more interesting blog for Day 3.