Day 4 - Australia Wants To Kill You

"It's been really dry this year, so I reckon you'll be all right mate. Sometimes those roads are under a meter or two of water!"
I was buying maps for our drive next week across the top of Australia to Darwin. The shop owner was enjoying telling travel nightmare stories. He was smiling.
"Yeah, in The Wet even the truck snorkels are under water!"
A lot of the trucks here have "safari snorkels" which are exactly what you think they are - air intake pipes up at cab level. Bizarre looking.
"And watch for crocs Mate!"
"We'll stay away from the water and we'll be fine."
"No mate, those crocs will walk for miles from water hole to water hole when its dry like this. And those buggers can run!" He wasn't smiling anymore. "Just keep your eyes open."

Roger. Australia is also known as The Land Of Elaborate Warning Signs. This was the first verbal warning, but the countryside is festooned with signs pointing out the various ways in which Australia plans to kill you or at least make your life unpleasant. We've only been here two days and have already seen many signs warning us about those crocodiles plus marine stingers, electric ants and stinging trees. The latter promises "distress" in addition to "severe pain", as if "severe pain" were not enough encouragement to watch out. Watch out with a touch of paranoia I should add as the leaves depicted were comically generic looking.