Storm clouds over Litchfield

So last week, my birthday week, was a very busy one politically. Little old Darwin town experienced a temporary occupation by Obama and all his attendant security entourages, noisy-as-hell fighter jets and announcements that Darwin is going to be home to up to 2500 US marines as they defend US imperialism in the region and, I guess, practice killing people. There goes paradise... http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/49496

Then we launched the new concerned Australians book, Walk With Us. Ninety people  turned up to hear voices of Aboriginal people speaking out against the NT Intervention. Awesome!

Then finally we headed off to Batchelor, for some much-needed R&R...

Including gourmet goodies, of course.

We spent a day at Litchfield  National Park back in July, the dry season. It is so different now. It has gone from dusty dry scrub land to... well.... check it out:

I'm not sure my amateur photography adequately captures the dramatic storm clouds:

It turns out champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries go REALLY well together. How did it take me 33 years to discover this!? On the  other hand, champagne and a good night's sleep don't seem to go hand in hand?

Thanks to my awesome friend in Sydney for the gourmet treats that meant that, even when the monsoonal showers kept us inside, we were well-catered  for and happily indulged.

And then I went crazy with the camera.