Darwin to Kakadu

Hello all
This post is a mixed bag of all sorts of things.....I have been busy in Darwin.
I spent 2 weeks in Darwin, my first capital city since Perth a couple of weeks before Easter. This meant there was plenty to catch up on.
Firstly, I just want to say I am totally blown away that this blog has just clicked over 20,000 hits!!!
Combine this with my older blogs and the total is well over 25,000 hits!

AMAZING and humbling also that so many people are interested in my travels.

Ok moving on, after 105,000k of carrying my camper over a lot of the worst roads Australia has to offer, the stock standard rear suspension on the Great Wall was starting to look a little tired.
Like humans, as the milage grew the bum started to sag. I think the standard suspension has done a fantastic job carting 700-800kg around constantly, but I was down to about 25mm clearance of the rear bump stops. Also the ute was starting look lower in the back, where once it sat level.

In Darwin I had a 50mm lift and new suspension fitted to freshen her up a bit.
No Botox here, a full bum lift.

unladen before

unladen after

I don't normally promote businesses, unless the service I receive is outstanding, but Adrian at Pedders Suspension, in Stuart Park in Darwin was excellent. Efficient, knowledgable and more importantly No Bullshit!

loaded up before

loaded up after

Time will tell, as it is early days yet, but initial impressions are good. Unladen it is only a slightly harsher ride and loaded up is good, the few corrugations I have done since seems a lot better. The only thing i have noticed, is on sweeping highway curves there seems to be a bit more body roll. Possibly because it is not already sitting on the main leaf!

After the suspension was fitted, it was time for a major service, so another plug for good service!

All Rural Mechanical in Humpty Doo did a great job giving the ute a good going over, and also provided a free loan car. Sheldon, the owner was surprised to find no problems after 105,000km of mostly crap roads carrying the camper.

With all this sorted I headed off towards Kakadu National Park.

Ubirr has always been a special place, so once again I visited.

What a difference a year makes! In may last year I drove through the 400- 600mm deep Magela Creek for over a kilometre to be one of about a dozen vehicles there.

Yesterday, bone dry and a full carpark.

Rainbow Serpent

Ubirr floodplains

Ubirr rockart

Ubirr floodplains

So it was off to Nourlangie Rock, I did the walks last year but Anbangbang Billabong was still flooded, but this year was open.

Nourlangie Rock fron Anbangbang Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong

Rainbow Bee Eater

After here I am going to Gunlom Falls, a place I visited about 5 years ago and loved. The natural horizon pool at the top of the falls is stunning and a good reward after the murderous climb.
Bye for now