Kakadu National Park - Cahill Crossing

The Alligator River marks the boundary between Kakadu National Park and the Arnhem Land. It is a beautiful river but has many crocodile (unfortunately the river was poorly names since there are no alligators in this part of the world.). Cahill Crossing is the only place where you can drive across the river to go to Arnhem Land.  Kakadu is a coastal park and its entire north boundary is the northern coast, so the river at this point is very close to its estuary. In fact the tides come way up the river and the first time I went to Cahill Crossing (an easy walk from the campsite where I was staying) this is what I saw.

And I thought that I must be badly turned around because I expected the river to flow the other way. In fact what I was seeing was the tide coming in and making the river look like it was flowing back inland.

It normally looks like this:

See the difference?

And at low tide its level is much lower.

I went several times to see the turning of the tide and it is quite something. You can actually see the river flowing one way, stop, and then start flowing the other way. It is quite the thing.
It is in fact a reversing waterfall.

There are lots of fishermen at Cahill Crossing and apparently every now and then one feed the crocs by standing a little too close to the water or even in the water just a little too long.
The crocodiles of Kakadu are quite impressive and Cahill Crossing is a great place to see them (no photos, sorry)

Australia, Kakadu National Park, aboriginal basket weaving

While in Kakadu I went to a basket weaving demonstration done by the ladies of Arnhem Land . (Arnhem Land is an area of Australia owned and managed by aborigines which has a shared boundarie with Kakadu National Park).

The first part of the process is to split the center leaves of the Pandanus spiralis. Take my word for it the process is not as easy as it looks. They let us try. It was actually a great presentation because it was very much hands on and we tried it all.

This is the Pandanus spiralis (I am thinking of doing a post just about that plant...really)

Then once they have dried you can dyed them. As an example this is the root a of "yellow leave bush", I do not know its true name. You have to peel it and then pund the soft part off  the hard woody part of the root. On that day they also used some other red plant.

Then you boil it in water and immerse the pandanus strands.

And this is the resulting colours. (The yellow one is obviously from the "yellow leave bush)

Karlu Karlu, or Devil's Marbles, Australia

I see nothing "devilish" about them and I really think that this labelling of "devil" for things that are big and for which we had no explanation is offensive.

The campsite at the park is really just a parking lot but it gets very very busy very early. If you want to stay for the night you have to get there before 2:00pm. The site is so beautiful that it is worth putting up with the campsite (even though I was next to two campers of Scandinavians who obviously had just met and talked all night, or at least until 1:00am, 2 feet away from the camper I had... It is funny the way people forget that people they cannot see can still hear them. Thank goodness I never travel without ear plugs!)

Elsey National Park hot springs, Australia

I am a fan of hot springs and near Kakadu (just south of Katherine) in the northwestern Australia you have Elsey National Park where there are hotsprings. They are only 32C (which for me is a little cool) but they are very very nice. They basically are a deep stream (or maybe small river) and you get into them at one end (there are stairs, the only modification to the natural setting) you get in and let yourself float down about a hundred metres where there are another set of stair and you can walk back along a small path and do it all over again. I am not a great swimmer but I swam back upstream and I can tell you that the current is a lot stronger than it seems. The stream is too deep to stand but there are some logs under water where you can rest along the way.

The water is blue and clear and you can see small fishes swimming around.

It is a wonderful place and if you find yourself in northwestern Australia I higjly recommend it. My recommendation is to go to the "Bitter springs" and not to the Rainbow Springs because the rainbow springs are very very busy, they are small and they are completely developed, though the water is still natural and has no chlorine added.

They are great and if you find yourself in northwest Australia I highly recommend going there. I will add that you should go to the Bitter Springs instead of the Rainbow Springs because the Rainbow Springs are very very busy, much smaller and totally developed, though the water is still natural and has no chlorine added. There is a private and somewhat decent camp site within walking distance of the Bitter springs. While in the are I also recommend the rest of Elsey National Park there is a very nice campground and if you are OK swimming in normal temperature water there is excellent swimming holes in the river. This is the only place in the are where you can swim in a natural setting without having to worry about crocodiles.

Koalas

While I am on the subject of photogenic and much photographed animals in sanctuary, here are a few photos from the koala sanctuary in Brisbane Australia.

I was with a friend R. and he paid for me to have my photo taken holding a koala. I wasn't sure at first but actually it was great. Her name is violet, her fur is wholly and a little rough but nice and she smells nice of eucalyptus. I managed to sneak in a quick kiss on her forhead. I wished I could hold her everyday.

Chinese Pandas in Chengdu

Before I post more photos about Australia I want to do one or two more posts about China.
Chengdu in china is well known for its panda sanctuary. As mush as I normally do not like zoos (the make me quite depressed) but I wanted to see the pandas, so here they are.

Giant pandas are very photogenic and they have been photographed zillions of times so I am sure there is really nothing new here for anybody. But it was very nice to see them live and at the Chengdu panda sanctuary you really get to see them doing their things in large enclosures where they appear quite relaxed and happy.

The big surprise for me was the red pandas. They are stunning. I do not understand why they are less known than the giant pandas. To me they did not appear to be as relaxed as the giant pandas. A way to described the difference would be to say that it is like the difference between dogs (the giant pandas) and cats (the red pandas).

Look at the colour of their fur.

Australia, Kakadu National Park rock art - Part 3 my favourite art piece

I am not saying where I found her. She is not indicated as part of any walk and I just saw her high on the side of a cliff.

What a beauty. What a story....Don't ask me what the actual story is, I don't know. I just mean to say: "what story she must have, what a  story I can imagine for her".

Australia, Kakadu National Park rock art - Part 3 , Nanguluwur

In terms of art I think that Nanguluwur was my favourite, also because you have to hike to the location (a couple of kilometers if I remember right, either way, not very far)  the place is not as popular.

Click on the photo below if you want to see all the hand representations. I am very much into hands and this is one of the reason Why I prefer Naguluwur. Also I love all the mythical creatures represented.

In many places, but particularly on the roof of the rock overhang you have those great hand impressions.

Here is a close up. They are believed to represent the oldest rock at in the area and the theory is that some of them are as old as 20,000 years old. I love them. The actual presence of the person involved in the process is right here in front of our eyes.

Here is one of the mythical creatures with a word of explanation. (click on the picture if you want to see it large enough to be able to read)

Some "contact" art (because it demonstrates contact with white folks)

More mythical creature. This one uses the large bags to carry parts of humans... Nanguluwur is a very dangerous place where nobody is supposed to be staying there after dark.

I loved Kakadu and I particularly loved Nanguluwur. The place is magical.