← PreviousA gruelling hike in the gorges of Nitmiluk National ParkWe slept well and woke around seven with the daylight. A quick trip to the toilets and the supermarket and we were already off to the day's first destination. Edith Falls was waiting, and we wanted to get there before the heat became too stifling. We arrived a little before ten to tackle the 2.6-kilometre mini-hike looping around several waterholes. It was indeed hot, but we soon reached the waterfall, and the natural pool it formed was magnificent.
The water was cool, probably around 18 degrees, but it felt so good under that blazing sun. A big waterfall crashed three metres into a first pool before the water spread into another pool and then poured further down into a small lake. The place literally fitted the definition of paradise, and we decided to eat there before driving to our second stop of the Tuesday.
Further north, Umbrawarra Gorge is on sacred Aboriginal land. They even forbid photographing certain rocks. You had to drive twenty kilometres on a dirt track to get there, which was probably why we were the only tourists. With all the respect we could show, we settled by the water to rest a little. The water was even cooler than in the morning, but the sun was really exhausting, so it balanced out.
Around 5 pm we set off in search of a new destination. We chose Adelaide River, a hundred kilometres north, after spotting showers there. After an hour's drive, we had the privilege of washing beside a field full of very timid kangaroos. We then ate at a typical roadhouse to the sound of country music. On the way out, the pickup parked next to our car caught our attention, as it had lots of dogs in the back, including three very affectionate puppies. Having your dogs in the back of the vehicle, on the tray, is a real Australian speciality.
We stroked the puppies through the cage holding them, then went to park our home on wheels at the edge of the forest. Once the lights were off, we lay in wait, ears pricked. We could hear lots of kangaroos bounding about in the woods. And to that rather pleasant sound, we fell asleep for a well-earned rest. The next morning we again woke around seven. We'd definitely got into a rhythm; our body clocks were getting used to this way of life. After a modest breakfast, we set off for Litchfield National Park. Near Darwin, this vast natural area is home to a great many waterfalls and natural pools.
It's perfectly laid out so you can drive from one spot to the next along a set route. Our first stop was a group of magnetic termite mounds, which led us to the fateful question: why magnetic? The answer was surprising: it turns out termites have a compass inside them that lets them locate north in any circumstances. That's why all the structures the little insects build face the same way. They sometimes reach up to eight metres tall.
The second stop was Buley Rockholes, a charming little stretch of sunny river where nature had decided to hollow out the rock to offer walkers lovely bathtubs. We swam in the twenty-degree water before going to admire Florence Falls. To get there you had to go down 135 steps, and we arrived at the bottom dripping with sweat.
But you couldn't say it wasn't worth it. Here, two waterfalls dropped into a huge plunge pool about fifteen metres high and twenty metres wide. It was almost too beautiful to be true. Since there had to be a dark spot to spoil the picture, signs warned that although swimming was allowed, the risk of crocodiles couldn't be ruled out. We swam with some apprehension despite the crowd around us. We'd come up with a sneaky technique to reduce the risk: when we swam, we always left someone in front of us. If there was going to be a crocodile, it reassured us to know we might not be the first victims.
The third stop was Tolmer Falls, a gigantic waterfall dropping into a huge waterhole. This time we only got a view from above, because it was too dangerous to go down and swim. That didn't bother us particularly, as in the heat the walk would have been gruelling. We continued our outing with the most touristy spot in the park. Wangi Falls had a café, a big car park and even Wi-Fi, whereas there was no signal anywhere else in the park. Here again, two big waterfalls crashed into a large basin that really looked like a swimming pool.
People know a good thing when they see it, and we met lots of families and groups of friends out for the day. We felt good there and stayed a good hour to recover a little and get on with our respective books. Then it was time to head to our last stop. Walker Creek was off the beaten track, and when we arrived there was only one car in the car park. That was a good sign. Apart from an elderly couple, nobody was around. It was so empty and quiet that once the old couple had left, we decided to take our shower in the river.
We got out our shower gel (soap-free and eco-friendly) and felt like we were in a shampoo advert. Washing in cool water in the open air was an enriching experience. Once we were all clean, we got back in the car to find a town to spend the evening in. Somewhat at random, we chose Humpty Doo, just south of Darwin. We spent the evening in a fairly pleasant tavern. As we were in the car about to leave, a man tried to open his car right next to ours. He was blind drunk, and we pretended to laugh at what he was saying but hurried off so he wouldn't damage our home on wheels.
And then, like every evening, we looked for a quiet place to park and spend the night. It was really pot luck. We'd sometimes parked in very busy streets and slept very well. Or, like that night, at the end of a cul-de-sac with very few houses but, unfortunately, an unhappy dog. It started barking around 5 am and we could hear it even through our earplugs. Needless to say, the night was short. We weren't really rested in the morning. Fortunately, we knew that that evening we'd be sleeping in a real bed at a friend's in Darwin.
So we didn't let tiredness get the better of us and headed for Berry Springs, waterholes very popular with Darwin residents. Once again the place was very well laid out. You might have thought it was a swimming pool, but there really was a river flowing through it. After lounging by the water for a few hours, we finally headed for the city. We felt the excitement rising, as this stage marked the end of the first part of our trip. And we have to admit we weren't sorry to be back in a city in the metropolitan sense of the word. The seafront was superbly laid out, with a wave pool and a protected beach. It was the only place in the city where you could swim without fearing the jellyfish and crocodiles that abound there. We stayed until 5 pm, when we were meeting Romain and Emelyne, who would put us up until we left for Bali.