25...East Coast

The 2.500km from Darwin to Townsville were so boring, landscape wasn’t so exciting. Fortunately, two Highlights broke our (Michael from Germany and Bertine from Netherland) journey. The Daly Waters Pub was one from them. Passing travellers left nearly everything there and the walls are now decorated from bras, driver licences, Banknotes to Shirts, Caps and Condoms. I’ve met Denise and Max who was working there. We stayed for one night, enjoyed few Jugs and continued our Journey at full throttle the next day.
As the other highlight was on the agenda, I slamed on the brakes and we celebrate Michelle’s 200.000th km with Champagne in the middle of nowhere.
Nothing spectacular happened the rest of the way and we were happy as we saw the Pacific ocean after 5 days on the road. Michael and Bertine went further on to Cairns and I stayed one week in Townsville.

After the boring route I did some more exciting stuff like Diving and White Water Rafting. Espeacially the last named was wicked. 5 hours fun on the Tully River. It was raining the most time but you become wet anyway. Diving at the Great Barrier Reef was too but my breakfast didn’t stay in my stomach while the crossing…

I was in the Billabong Sanctuary today, where you can do all the cute things with the Australian animals like hold a Wombat, hold a Koala, feeding and take some pictures.

Actually I’d like to dive the Yongalla Wreck tomorrow. Unfortunately, I just got a call that they cancelled it because the sea is to rough. I’m very upset, because that is one from the Top Ten Wreck dives in the world and I don’t know when I will have the next chance to do that.

24...Darwin

After I’ve seen Karijini Gorge NP the other Gorges weren’t so impressive. But we did a walk in Katherine Gorge although, where we went after Kununurra. And it wasn’t so great. I’m spoiled, maybe. But anyway, we did a walk (highest temperature on this day: 50 C) and after we came back to Katherine, we spoiled ourselves with a 2 litre Icebox and comes which we ate in front of Woolworth.

We journeyed on to Edith Falls, camped beside the road and floundered about in the water the next morning. Different thing than the Gorges, finally.
We continued to Litchfield NP. First we saw big Termite Mounds (Magnetic compass termites), up to 5 metres high. Then to Florence Falls, short walk through the Rainforest and jumped into the water, again.
The last stop was the Wangi Falls, where, what else, we jumped into the water.
We arrived Darwin late afternoon and had problem to find accommodation, like in Broome. We ended up on a Camping place, 10km out of town.
The next day, Aidan, Wim and me went to the Job agency and surprise, surprise they got a job for us. Unfortunately, only for two of us. So we Played “rock, paper, scissors” and Aidan and me won. We worked with a furniture removal company. It wasn’t so bad, but working in 35 C and Sunshine caused strong sweating...(I was hosting my own wet T-shirt competition. The weather in Darwin makes you hot, but by no means sexy – sweating all over. If you stepping out through the sliding doors, a heat hit you like a freight train, instantly knocking the life from you…but you get used to it). But what I liked about the job was looking in strangers houses. Unfortunately, it was only for four days and I had look for another job. Three days later I’ve got a job in the casino. I’m working with the Eventstaff. We are doing all the Set up for Events. Last weekend was a big Galaball for 2000 people. So we set 200 tables up, including the cutlery and crockery for the four-course menu (everything polished), setted up the buffet, fridges, drinks, yadda-yadda-yadda. But the best thing about the work is: they provide food and free Internet, that saves a lot of money…

Darwin is a tiny town (79.000 citizens) with heaps of backpacker and tourist as well as a big Nightlife. Every Thursday and Sunday is the Mindil Beach Sunset Market with heaps of food stand, knick knack and music. On one Sunday there was a Beercan Regatta with boats, made of Beercans. The crews tried to make the route but some boats disappeared. It was a big beach party with a lot of fun the whole day and it continued into the night.

I will go to the East Coast in a few days. That means, my last traveltime will begin, because I wanna be in Sydney in the middle of September for selling Michelle. Just 5.000km to go with her…snief.