Cappy's Corner

My trip to Australia was very memorable, and from time to time I would get lost in the moment with my camera in hand, sometimes I would just wander in the wrong direction. On this particular occasion I was in the Northern Territory , Darwin to be exact, where there is a giant natural reserve called Kakadu National Park. It would literally take days to explore, so I thought I would start my adventure here. I saw so many interesting things and found myself this day in a forest, with giant trees and beautiful fauna. I began to follow the trails through the forest and noticed a Frilled Lizard, camera ready I began to follow him, as he continued to move through the forest I was taken off the trail deeper into the forest. So involved in the photo opportunity's in the forest I didn't realize that the sun was fading from the sky, and now I think I was lost. I found a stream running along the tree line and began following that, the sun now completely gone from the sky. Here I was alone in the forest, the sounds of night were increasing their volume, and now its time to dig out my flash light. I only hope that the really poisonous things sleep at night, I was still following the stream and was trying to remember if the trail came anywhere near the stream, the hiking had become more difficult, I had hardly anyplace to put my next step down, for now the foliage was very dense, this is definitely Bush Walking, a phrase they use in Australia for hiking. The sounds were now different, I kept moving and listening, perhaps I should follow these new sounds, it wasn't the sound of the roadway it was sounds that I had never heard before and then I heard the sound of a bull roarer, this is a tool that the Aborigines use to communicate to each other. The sound was loud and strange, but I now think it lead deeper into the forest where the indigenous people live and not where the parking lot was located. Was I afraid? I don't think I was I was more intrigued about my surroundings and what may be lurking around me lost in the Outback. I almost felt like Crocodile Dundee at home in the forest, and then without thinking I happened upon the trail, I continued for another hour or so and the forest opened up, there it was my rental car alone in the parking lot, the park was closed and there wasn't a human in sight. Somehow I found my way back to civilization and the journey through the forest now just a memory of unusual sights and sounds. I was definitely lost, but somehow I found my way, perhaps there was something magical out there in the forest.