Day 3 was our Northern Territory main event. Having had a difficult start to the year and being here to celebrate a big milestone (20th Wedding Anniversary), I decided we deserved an extra special treat…..
A truely unforgettable day ensued and one that will sit at the top of my list of best travel experiences. Litchfield National Park by helicopter was absolutely spectacular.
We set off from Darwin airport, where we met Jim, our pilot and guide. A true country boy, Jim’s background is cattle mustering in the Aussie outback. Although he seemed not much older than my son, I felt very safe with him. He was meticulous in his checks, instructions and manoeuvres. He had an easy way about him and was able to point out landmarks and answer questions with ease.
As we flew out from Darwin, we passed by the expansive harbour, mango farms and the Darwin River Dam, the city’s main water supply. Everywhere we looked, there were lines of fire. It turns out, it is back burning season which explains why there had been a bit of haze over Darwin for the last couple of days.
When we first reached the edge of Litchfield I was a bit confused about what the fuss was all about. From the air it looks the same as the surrounding rugged land if not a bit greener. We flew over the Magnetic Termite mounds….. pretty cool (how does an ant know to build north to south?!!), then dropped down and skirted the edge of a raised plateau…….. and this is what we saw…….very very cool.
Each waterfall Jim circled so that we could fully appreciate its grandeur and beauty. We saw people frolicking in the rock pools beneath, some with floats and inflatables. It was magnificent. After skirting the Lost City (some rock formations that look a bit like a city), we came upon Sandy Creek Falls.
We had been told we would land at the top of Sandy Creek for a swim and picnic. Neither Mr Travel Bee nor I expected or appreciated quite what that meant. We must have looked like excited children exiting the helicopter, we had our own waterfall and rock pool!!
I was straight in the water and relished its coolness as it refreshed and revitalised me. Not having to worry about who was looking at me and my slightly odd appearance, was like a gift and a ticket to fully relax.
After our dip, we had a toast to twenty years of marriage and reflected on all we have done and achieved. We enjoyed a picnic on the rocks, shaded from the full sun and said hello to a visitor, Mr Water Monitor. All the while, Jim was cooling off in his own rock pool. What an office he has!!
When Jim signalled a five minute warning, we reluctantly packed up and headed back to the chopper. We both felt we could have spent hours out there enjoying Litchfield’s beauty in complete privacy and enjoying a much needed reset.
TTB
The Travel Bee 