This page is for Noodles

Ubirr Rock (left) Litchfield NP (below)

Darwin - Pool sitting Darwin - Arafura Sea - Markets

This page is for Noodles. She had such a good time with us in the Top End. She cooked every night for her son on the trip up and bought all the food including lots of yummy toasted sandwiches (we think she is hooked). She didn’t want to drive through outback QLD as she didn’t want to be responsible for wrecking the trip. Always quick with a yarn she entertained many a traveller and saw herself as a younger generation to the grey nomads.

The sunset market in Darwin was a treat, we walked around for hours and stuck our toes into the sea to tempt the salt water crocs of the Arafura. No swimming here.

Noodles swam in the springs at Mataranka homestead and loved the warm weather (big break from the cold). She caught up with her old friend from boarding school in Darwin and stayed up till 2am with her when she stayed overnight. Walking around Kakadu information office Noodles could smell coffee a mile away and met someone that she knows (Mel T.) . Typical of Noodles she was always interested in getting everyone an icecream. Hotdogs and milkshakes don’t go together.

She climbed up Ubirr rock as we tricked her that we had to get over it to get back (she was thrilled to see the classic view of Kakadu). We ate barramundi caught by the camp caretakers for a token price as she got into a big conversation about their fishing. The feast was shared with Mel and Brian. Yum – just happened to have some lime and they had coriander).

When we went crocodile spotting on the East alligator river, Noodles OOOOHed and AAAAHed. She tentatively enjoyed the 40km 4WD track out to Gunlom Falls and then loved the plunge pool when she got there (swam with fresh water crocs).

Litchfield Falls was next and Noodles was wary of the kids jumping off the rocks into the water at Buley Plunge Pools. She went on many a walk with us and chatted away to the kids sometimes singing them a rhyme. Tjyaneria Falls was a hike but the thrill was swimming in the beautiful pool at the bottom of the waterfall, the rock jump from there was amazing.

The road back to Darwin came all too quickly and Noodles had to catch a plane. She is with us in spirit now that she is home safely in the deep cold of winter. I am sure that she still remembers the searing heat of Darwin.

MISS YOU N. Cliff family