We woke to a beautiful sunrise and a quick decamp - the memories of the previous evening’s discussions almost forgotten. Note to self – don’t touch on emotions after several beers and three bottles of red. Best to stick to topics as the ABC, Fairfax and the Banking Royal Commission. WCGW? After a minor false start we met our tour guide, Ronnie, a Slim Dusty soundalike, for a tour of the Mimbi Caves. The caves are set in a limestone range, remnants of a vast barrier reef, laid down 350 million years ago. I felt like a cross between Miranda from Picnic at Hanging Rock and David Gulpilil exploring a space so ancient and quiet that goose-bumps were not optional. Through a labyrinth of caves and tunnels we found ancient waterways and rock art and a ... read more

It was time to say good bye to Derby. I had a quick cuddle with the French Bulldog across the way. His owner is travelling by herself apparently he sits up front in his seat belt and retires to the lounge when he’s had enough. Wilko has told me that a side effect of the gray nomad boom is the Windorah Widow. A female who has been married to a fellow gray nomad finds herself widowed. Once she buries Reg in the Windorah caravan park she discovers that she doesn’t know who to couple up the caravan and is now destined to spend the rest of her life in the Windorah caravan park 500m from Reg’s grave. At least that’s one less vanner on the highway. Becs and I popped in to the Norvall gallery in ... read more

We managed to complete the 88ks to the Kalumburu Road with all 4 wheels and stopped in at Drysdale Station for fuel, lunch and a shower. Otto, the WWII fighter pilot, wouldn’t let Becs have a shower even if we paid for it as we hadn’t stayed there that night. She had one anyway. Given it had taken us 5 hours to go the 160 odd ks to the Gibb River Road we felt reaching Wandjina NP that night was a stretch plus the unthinkable had happened. We’d run out of alcohol. This was potentially worse than the wheel falling off. No alcohol at Drysdale Station, none at Mt Barnett Road House, the only option looked like Mount Hart Station. It seemed to have a bar. The Gibb River Road is not that bad and there ... read more

( ASo the plan I had come up with during the night was to ring the only mechanic in the Kimberleys (Over the Range Tyre and Mechanical) and hope they aren’t the same outfit Chevy Chase used in Vacation. Then call NRMA and get them to authorise repairs and tell them about the sat phone bill they had. No one answered at 7am at the mechanic probably because there was no need to start so early because not many people were dropping their cars off for a service before work. The first Greg came sauntering across to see how we were, he had also waited for us last night Emu Export Lager in hand to make sure we made it. He thought the station might have some spare wheel studs and we could use some wheel ... read more

We are staying at Emma Gorge which is part of El Questro a part cattle station part tourist venue. Emma Gorge is about 25 ks from the main site and is about 50 permanent tent style accommodation. I randomly picked Emma Gorge and glad I did. Not a vanner in sight, unfortunately they do seem to host some of those APT buses (presumably the ones that can’t afford the Rhine tours) so there is no shortage of old people. First thing in the morning we did Emma Gorge which is nice little waterfall with bathing pool at the bottom. The water was freezing. While Becs was swimming a guy showed me a great picture of a snake he found in the pool. I thought of telling Becs but decided against it. We them headed I to ... read more