I’m in ‘The Top End‘ as this part of Australia is called. Look at the map below and you can see why!

The temperature is a tropical high of around 35°c, the air is still, the humidity high and the sun burning hot 🥵 so to cool off today I went for a 40 kilometre drive into Litchfield National Park

More specifically, I went to Florence Falls. There are two ways to access this stunning waterfall and pool – one involves climbing down 135 steps to the water, which means climbing back up them again 🙄. I chose the second way – a 700 metre level walk along the creek!

The water looks inviting but signs everywhere warn of crocodiles 🐊 so I was taking no chances. It’s not too far to the pool now anyway 🏊‍♀️

It was a popular spot with families and friends enjoying the cool water. I couldn’t wait to take the plunge!

I stayed in the water until I started to go wrinkly – and I got a nip on the leg from a fish – so I clambered out to take more photos. There are actually two waterfalls cascading into the swimming hole but to photograph them both I had to clamber over rocks to get to a reasonable vantage point. This was not an elegant procedure so I’m glad I’d made this trip alone and there was no one else there who knew me😂😂

I think it was worth the effort!

On my walk back along the creek I startled a large water monitor. It was shiny, almost black, with a long thin tongue flicking out. I stood very still and it stopped also and we eyed each other off for a few seconds before I left it to enjoy its own space. It was quite a special moment 😍