Day 40 - Nourlangie - Cooinda

This morning we moved on.  We called into Jabiru on the way and just happened to pass the Kakadu Bakery.  Everyone has said this is awesome so we couldn't go past without trying a crocodile pie.  Only morning tea time but .......hey!!!!!  We aren't coming back this way.  What a fantastic bakery and so cheap, everything here is cheap.......go figure!!!!!

We stopped at the Anbangbang Billabong which was a 4 km walk, including the lookout, which was at Nourlangie.  Lucky we did that before lunch as it was absolutely sweltering by the time we had finished.  The kids have been fantastic with all the gorge walks to date, they have been loving the challenge and have just been awe inspired with the swim and the falls a the end, however, with this heat and no relief in a swim at the end of the walk, due to the crocs, the complaints are starting!!!!! 

We plan to head to the next campsite but figure we will pop in and have a look at the "Cooinda lodge" on the way.  This is right next to the Yellow water river and the aboriginal cultural centre which we had planned to come back to.  Well, we walk into the reception of the lodge and make enquiries,  they have powered sites for vans, that are quite cheap considering our "free camping" in the national park has cost us $20 a night with very basic facilities, so we figure for the luxury of power all night to run the aircon, some washing machines, water and, the thing that sells us all, "the best pool the kids have ever seen"!!!.... we decide to book into the lodge.

 It is just so hot, we spend most of the arvo at the pool.  At 4:30pm we decide to go for a look at the Aboriginal Cultural centre.  This was very well done, easy to read all the the displays and after spending some time in Ubirr, we could understand the places they were referring to.  I was amazed to learn that there used to be 200 different aboriginal languages, now there is only 50.  Afterwards we went for a walk on the board walk at Yellow Water which was just lovely, we opted out of the river cruise as it was going to cost another $350 for the family.  Your hand is in your pocket all the time out here!!!

Anyway, home at last and enjoyable barbi on a very balmy night.  We decided after tea to take the kids for a late night swim which they just loved.  We were joined by a couple of local cane toads which didn't thrill me a great deal, my biggest concern now is Cody wanting to catch them!!! We are trying to teach him the difference between the frogs, lizards, any all creepy, crawlies for that matter, that he can and can't catch!!!!