Well today we are starting to get back into it a bit, off to Nitmiluk National Park and a cruise in the wonderful Katherine Gorge. There are 13 Gorges on the Katherine River and we got to experience just 2, to see how the water has carved its way through solid granite over millions of years is unbelievable. We met the tour guide ‘Taffy’ who looked more santa clause with a Scottish accent dressed like Steve Irwin, he was a sight to see. At first there was just the 4 of us thinking that we are it when people started coming out of the woodwork, we had a boat full of tourists. It was a large flat bottom boat and everyone sat like good little tourists taking a million photos. What else could you do when you are experiencing this unbelievable land sculpture. There was a huge rock face which has the story attached of 2 young aboriginal kids who were brother and sister and were madly in love which is a death sentence in the aboriginal world, they plunged to their death off the rock face which now bears the young woman’s name of ‘Jedda’. ‘Taffy’ was very informative and gave us a good understanding of the gorge but also informed us on many bush tucker hints. Sam just burn all the tea trees run around in the smoke and no more mosquitoes will attack you. After falling into the Roper river we finally got to see out Fresh water croc. We did take many photos as this is the only way you can communicate the beauty of this place. The water in this gorge rose some 21 metres in the last big flood which I think was 2006. After touring the information office and having a little walk we headed back for lunch. Trice and I then headed into Katherine city to grab a few supplies and remember when I said that the indigenous population is 60% of the Katherine population, well all the white people must have been at work because we were a minority in town. Trice wanted to renew her supply of ‘bubbles’ but we were told that the liquor store in Woolworths was not open for another 10 minutes at 2.15 but you will have to be careful of the line up???? Well we didn’t get the line up because the scanning machine was out of order and they were unable to sell casks of wine today. They have a central database and everyone is only allowed to buy one cask of wine per person per day, Trice had to show her driver’s licence and then a record of her purchase had to be recorded on a register. Is that why they are building a huge building just out of town called the ‘Sobering Up’ clinic.Off to the Top Didj Art Gallery where we met with Manuel, an aboriginal from Arnhem Land who was a bundle of fun. His aboriginal name is Wurlumbulngar, he is married and has a young child, he spends most of his day churning out aboriginal art and talking to tourists. We bought one of his paintings and took a photo of Trice giving him a big hug, this is a bit of a No No but who could resist Patrice. We may go back tomorrow to get a lesson in aboriginal art but we need 4 people and John and Wil don’t want to do it. We have left our phone number so we may get a call if other people turn up.
Back to the park for a good swim after our busy day and our usual happy hour when we were joined by Julie and Nigel, 3 hours later we finally got them to go back to their van but they want to come back again tomorrow, my rum supply is dwindling.
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