I traveled to Australia's Northern Territory, the far north Never Never, to visit Kakadu, a world class national park and wetland. Along the way I made several interesting stops, including a visit to Carmor Plains, a complex ecosystem, with grassland, savanna, and stands of eucalyptus forests. And I gathered bush tucker (food) from the remote beaches of Arnhemland, going walkabout and living off the land for several memorable days. I discovered the sweet meat of barramundi (fish above) and that live grubs have a tart taste!

Around evening campfires I heard amazing tales of a people. It seems all of northern Australia, despite the remarkable isolation (no paved roads, few people), carries the heavy stamp of man. Aboriginals have been here for a long, long time. Around 60,000 years ago, (alas, some would say 100,000), a battered raft or two washed ashore on a wild and far-flung beach of northern Australia. The world's first ancient mariners had stumbled into the mystery of history, where they remain today. It was man's first discovery of an entirely new land mass, separate and distinct from the jungles and caves of Africa and Eurasia. How on earth did it happen? (next photo)