This is Yusuke, from Japan. Yusuke is traveling around and working. Nice chap. He was staying at the same camp site in Kununurra and very taken with my bike.

These trees are cool, I want one on my garden. I don’t know much about them, or why they have such a large trunk, but it looks cool which is fine by me.

Like termite mounds, the problem with Boab trees is that once you’ve stopped to take a picture there’s a bigger and better one just around the corner!

Sadly, most of them have been defaced by half whits who are intent on carving their names. Or spray painting them, for example “The lads on tour 95”. How about a come back tour with a bucket and sponge you retards??

On the way back through the Kakadu national park there were a few controlled burns going on. Something that surprised me was the amount of heat given of. This was just the stubble, or short grass that was being burned – but the heat was fairly intense.

Looking back on the bush fires in Victoria, where whole eucalyptus forests were on fire, you have to hand it to the fire fighters. The heat would be off the scale. There’s no way you could drive to safety through it either. It puts things into perspective, well for me anyway.

The highway back to Katherine was 300 kms of road I’d ridden up the day before. I don’t like doubling back (unless the roads are great or the scenery stunning), so I went through the national park. It’s a bit of a dog leg but it was worth it.

There are great swathes of wetlands that could be anywhere in the UK. Completely incongruous with the bush and totally unexpected. The local university had big signs advertising the fact that climate change will flood the area, which will be gone in10 years.

I probably should have taken a picture then! Scenery is hard to capture though, and sometimes you just have to be there. Here’s a picture of the park signs, which some hooligan has parked a motorcycle in front of!

I finally got to Darwin and the seaside. It’s a far cry from Llandudno! (That’s where we went for family holidays most years). We used to play a game in the car on the way there, who would be the first to see the sea. It’s pretty daft when you think about it, as the sea is always in the same place!

Anyway, as small towns go Darwin was, er, small! A lot smaller then I expected. I suppose the fact it was a Sunday made it seem smaller, with all the shops being shut.

The bars were all full though and sounding quite lively. Lots of European back packers out on the beer. I’ve seen that before and it’s not pretty! I wasn’t in the mood for a lively night, so I headed out towards the national park and a roadhouse in Corroboree. The landlady took great pride in telling me the place was going to be on TV. ‘Australia’s most bogan pubs”.

Sometimes you just can’t get away from it!

Here’s proof they they get bigger the further north you go. I risked life and limb to get this shot, going off road about half a km over dinner very dodgy ground.

Joining the highway was also a challenge, cresting a blind hill straight onto the road. I needed a run up so I waited until I couldn’t hear any cars then went for it.

Obviously as you’re reading this I made it. Phew!

And here it is, the dalek termite mound! A work on art from a whovian and comedian, the unknown hero bringing a laugh to the traveller.

Good on yer, as they day around here.

They’re everywhere! Take a look at this panorama. As the kms click by the mounds get bigger, the scenery changes gradually every 100kms or so and it’s great. Like watching a live 360×360 TV.

For the hand glider pilots out there this is a nightmare. The mounds are like concrete, rock hard. Just waiting to grab the base bar and nose you in!

Occasionally someone puts a T-shirt on one and it’s pretty funny. I’m waiting for the best one so I can get a photo.

Sophie
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Taboo, taboo…. Etc..

So I came across this wayside inn at Dunmarra. I’m not sure they thought the name of that through very well. Where was that place? Ah, Dunmarra.

A few kms outside the town there’s a big sign advertising “Famous home made pies”. I asked the lady at the counter where the pies were famous, apart from on the sign obviously. She wasn’t sure, no-one had asked before.

Anyway, I was in the mood for a pie so I got one. What I got was one of the best pies I’ve ever had! Flaky pastry, chunky meat and a great gravy. I should have had two! It’s only fair then that I do my bit to help make the Dunmarra home made pies “Famous”. They’re on a blog now!

Next time you’re in the market for a pie I thoroughly recommend them. Ask for Sue, and tell her I sent you!