The Top End!
2 weeks in the Top End !! 🐊💛
Celebrating finishing off our last Prac & never working for free again!! Thanking Millie for joining me for some of the celebrations, and for getting me through the past 3 and a bit years of study, legend. My weeks were spent soaking up the sunshine by the Darwin waterfront, joining in with the annual Territory day celebrations & exploring the national parks one long car ride at a time, enjoying being a backpacker in my own country & being able to completely relax for the first time in a looong time.
Learning about the strong yet dying indigenous culture here, languages leaving with its people & communities riddled with disease and racism from an aggressively dark history made be reflective of the sacrifice it took for me to live my life in this country. Viewing rock art painted 200,000 years ago, hearing stories dating back hundreds more & privileged enough to be invited onto historical lands such as arnham land and Tiwi, where they’ve had minimal European impact and still follow century old traditions which brought tears to my eyes. Go watch Top End Wedding on Netflix, I read Miranda’s autobiography and the next day she was on the boat with me to the Tiwi islands! The rom com visits just about everywhere I went in the Top End giving you the smallest insight into the disconnectedness of land and people making you laugh whilst doing so.
No responsibilities felt great, even if it was just for 2 short but sweet weeks. Ticked off seeing crocs in the wild (along with a few other things too) & as always amazed by the gorges, red dirt, stars & waterfalls , of which the NT has plenty off. Katherine, Litchfield & Kakadu are all worth your while, long drive days, hitch hiking with strangers whilst I’m STILL not old enough to hire a car (probably for good reason) & organised tours to save my sanity too. Meeting like minded strangers who are now friends and spending quality time with old friends too, I had the perfect balance of chill and adventure, one day I’d be free camping in the bush, swimming in croc infested waters, the next sunbathing in the safety of the infinity pool sipping cocktails by the beach. The national parks are an endless playground, waterfalls and swimming holes (unless there was a croc attack the day before you go!), a highlight having the top of one fall to ourselves one morning, with views stretching thousands of kilometres over the plains, incredible.
Darwin itself is a less crowded, cleaner Bali with adventure on the doorstep (ish), with beach parties, legal firework nights and live music 7 days a week at every bar, it’s got everything and anything. You could spend months here and still only just scratch the surface, so I’m sure I’ll be back. Top end you were divine and all perfect….except the cancelled flight yesterday. The complimentary 5 star hotel room was welcomed, a free feed and a private shower a luxury compared to the hostel bathroom I shared with 50+ people, however I’m currently on a 17 + hour long trip across the country, having landed in a very cold but sunny Melbourne and about to go for a surf (??!!) and hopefully headed back across the country again soon to Perth in time for work tomorrow. It took some convincing on the phone to virgin (thanks fake older sister who’s apparently getting married tonight?) so I’m just grateful to (hopefully) be getting home soon pending no more disruptions (touch wood!!). Now to grind for a couple of months before the next adventure 🐊✌🏽✈️
My top 3 favourite spots:
Tjaetaba Falls : The natural infinity pool that sits at the top of the mammoth 5om high falls creates 180 degree views of the outback, a 2k walk from the carpark Tjaetaba is thee perfect sunrise or sunset spot, get there early to have it to yourself!!
Tiwi Islands: Amazing, beautiful and an experience like no other.
Berry Springs: Only 30 minutes from Darwin the natural springs are perfect to float down, have a bbq or cool off…without the crocs!!