Return To The Alice: Day 1

Nothing starts a road trip like watching a man called Kingsley taunting one of the world's most dangerous creatures with a lump of meat hanging off a stick. Krystal had won a free ticket at The Vic to one of the Jumping Crocodile cruises and she gave it to me so I duly rocked up because free things are one of my favourite things in the world.

Herrrrre Croccy Croccy Croccy

Fishing For Crocs

The Closest I'll Ever Get To A Full Grown Saltie With My Limbs Intact

Once there, they lead you onto a large, comfortable boat very well suited to cruising up a saltwater croc infested river... then they lead you right through the other side onto a vessel resembling something you'd pack sardines into. It's an unnerving sensation sitting in this tin can as huge salties swim up to it, you can feel yourself slowly slipping down the food chain.

So it was gone 4pm by the time I got my arse properly into gear to head down to Alice, I was thinking about heading through Kakadu National Park but after speaking to a couple of locals I didn't bother (Litchfield do, Kakadont) because I don't have a 4x4. Usually I laugh in the face of 4WD recommended and take the Falcon anyway but I generally reserve those little adventures for when I'm in the company of People Who Can Change Tyres. So yeah, I didn't bother with Kakadu, I was thinking about maybe spending the night at Litchfield but figured I should probably at least try and get further than 90 minutes from Darwin. I ended up at Douglas Hot Springs just as the sun had set.

Douglas Hot River

Travelling this kind of distance alone is new for me but Alice was a spur of the moment decision and Kliff wanted to go back to Broome. That was a hard goodbye, I've been in the same town as Kliff pretty much constantly since we met in Melbourne, he's one of my best mates over here and a mate for life, we've done some awesome things and been to some wicked places together from the Great Ocean Road to crossing the Nullabor. He'll be leaving the country in October so that was the last time I'll see him, in Australia anyway.

I usually eat quite well on the road on account of the fact I travel with people who crave strange and alien things such as Nutrients and Proper Meals With Ingredients. Left to fend for myself and I only eat because if I don't I'll fall over and even then its stuff out of packets and tins with the nutritional value of a spanner.

Another thing about travelling alone is the positive head space. Yeah, there's head space at the farm but its a shit situation, you can't sort anything out in your mind because you're too busy being miserable but just kicking back under the moonlight with a nice cup of tea and having time to properly think is invaluable.

And just so you know, mum; I camped in National Parks all the way down where there is little or no risk of abduction by a white ute driving sociopath.

written by  Koala Bear on August 24, 2007 from Douglas-Daly, Australia
from the travel blog: Sod Off Great Big Mission Round Oz
tagged RoadTrip and LovinIt
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