These are a few things that we would do differently next time or wished we had known beforehand:

• Take less clothes: It’s always the same you take too much stuff  (or at least I do). But as we traveled from cold Sydney to warm Alice Springs to hot and humid Darwin/ Cairns we needed everything from thick hoodie and fleece jacket to light tracking outfits to beach wear. So we already had to have a variety of clothes. But lesson #1: layers go a long way and are versatile. The hoodie worn in Sydney under a fleece jacket comes in handy when the night temperature in Uluru drops to freezing point. Lesson #2: Australia is a traveler’s Eldorado when it comes to  washing machines. We always had a possibility to throw stuff in the washing machine and even tumble dry it. Only restriction is time if you change location too quickly.
• Get a SIM card for your phone. We bought a prepaid Optus card at Sydney airport. It made trip confirmations a lot easier. However, in Kakadu there’s only coverage for Telstra. So we could not use the phone. However,  even in the weirdest places we had wifi coverage (i.e. Kings Canyon in the middle of nowhere)
• Don’t carry those heavy bottles of shampoo and conditioner. If you are staying in a hotel every once in a while stock up on the small complimentary bottles offered by hotels. They are more useful on outback trips anyway. And it’s another half kilo less weight in your luaggage.
• Pack a pocket knife in your suitcase. This way instead of having lunch and dinner in restaurants every day you can snack on those juicy oranges and apples that are sold in markets and stalls along the street.
• There’s a reason why Australians wear wide brimmed hats. It’s called risk of sun burn.
• Water from the tap has drinking quality in Australia and there are many places where you can top up your bottles for free. However,  tap water is chlorinated. If you invest in a new bottle take one with a filter. It filters out the chlorine. On the other hand, you get used to the taste after a bit- that is unless you are a teenager…
• Last but not least: Australia is addictive. You think you’ll visit only once in your life time? Think again. This country is too stunning to be true… We’ll be back!