Darwin, Kakadu, 3 million Mosquitoe Bites & Day one in Singapore.....!

Helllloooooo from the open road....!

Well we have finally set off and I am currently updating this from our Hostel in singapore while it is thundering and raining outside....

We arrived in Darwin at around 1am on the 4th of September, and spent the night a Christian Womens hostel (hahahahah little did THEY know!).  After checking out of there, we popped around to my Auntie Ronnie and Uncle Alans place....which was MUCH nicer than the hostel we stayed in! Had a quick bite to eat, then picked up our car and drove 300k's to Kakadu.

Now, coming from Melbourne to Darwin was a bit of a shock for 2 reasons. 1) It was so freaking hot my face was peeling off! and 2) The aboriginals...! Growing up in Melbourne, you don't really see alot of aboriginals around. And if you do, they are normally the ones giving talks at schools etc etc. Well...not in Darwin.  They would sit in groups drinking, fighting, yelling, singing or begging. Absolutely bizzare.

Anyway, moving along....!

So we set off for Kakadu at around 11am, and after a 3 hour drive we arrived at the Merl Campground just outside of the Ubirr Rock Art.  After setting up our tent...which was one of the most frustrating things to do in 35 degree heat, we headed to the rock art site.

I will upload some pictures soon, but to be honest the pictures would not do the artwork justice. It truely was amazing.  We spent around an hour looking at the various pieces, and then watched a lovely sunset over Kakadu.  It was a good end to our first day on the road!

That night Lucy and I possibly had THE WORST sleep ever imagined! Even though we covered ourselves in deet, we were attacked left right and centre by mosquitoes and sand flys.  Lucy currently has around 23 bites on her right knee, and 17 on her left (we clearly missed her knees when applying the repellant!).

The next morning, we drove out to the Nourlangie Rock Art site, which was again fantastic...although not as interesting as Ubirr.  I think it was all the tour groups that ruined it for us.  Ubirr is around 40k's off the main Kakadu Hwy, and Nourlangie is on the main stretch which makes it one of the busiest spots in Kakadu.

By the time we finished at Nourlangie it was about 12 midday, and it was red hot.  We later found out it got upto nearly 40 degrees, so we decided to drive strait back to Darwin rather than camp again.  Yes, we are soft, but the thought of a nice comfy bed and airconditioning in Darwin seemed to appealing to let go!

After arriving back in Darwin we wandered into the city and grabbed a bit to eat at a Vietnamese restaurant, and then witnessed what Darwin is famous for: Dick Head English Backpackers.  I have never seen so many drunk people in one street.  Now, as everyone knows, me and Lucy love a drink or ten, but to see these idiots not only being drunk and pissing in the street, but also blatently taking the mick out of the aboriginals in town just made my blood boil.  Anyway, I'l leave it there, but it really wasn't a good look.

On  Monday we did a major cull of our bags (never a good sign 2 days into an 8 month trip!) and then headed to the Darwin Museum which housed an excellent Cyclone Tracey Exhibition and some great aboriginal art work.  Monday evening we had a lovely meal with my Aunt and Uncle, and Tuesday we headed to Singapore....where we are now....!

We arrived quite late last night, around 9pm.  We are staying in the "Little India" part of Singapore which is worlds away from the western influences Orchard Road etc, and we love it! We had a great meal at a Morrocan Restaurant opposite our hostel, which came to a whopping $10AUD (!!!!!), and then we fell asleep....!

Our plan this morning was to go for a wander around the city, but at the moment, being 11am....it has't stopped raining since 8....so therefore I am updating this blog.

We get our flight to Kuching in Borneo in a few hours....very excited about that! Hopefully its not raining there!


Will update from borneo....!


jess xxxx