The Kimberlys and beyond

---

19th Oct. Drove from Fitzroy Crossing To Halls Creek,, better known as Hells Crack and decided it was a one night only stay so we set off at a pace to the China Wall, Old Halls Creek, Palm Springs, and Saw Tooth Gorge. Then we turned the other way and did a big stint out part of the Tanami to Wolf Creek Crater (large Meteorite Crater). On the way we blew a tyre and on the return trip we lost the spotlights, fistly the bolt snapped and then the wiring failed so it was a slow trip out in the dark trying to dodge cattle. There also happened to be an under-age disco in Halls Creek so it was a rowdy evening and the caravan park fence got set on fire.
20th Oct. Drove from Halls Creek to Turkey Creek where we had planned to get a chopper in to the Bungles and then drive and stay for a few days, however the gas pump at Turkey Creek was broken and with petrol at $1.79 and with the fridge not coping so well and having no air conditioning and only one spare tyre, we decided that it was more cost effective and less stress to go on to Kunannurra and get a fly and drive tour into the bungles which we knew was on sale being the end of season. We also got in touch with Zena and Lindsay who were going to re-set up their van and wait another day for us at Kunanurra. So on we went and had a lovely dinner and drinks in Zena and Lindsay's air conditioned caravan.
21st Oct. Today was de-dusting day getting rid af all the red dirt and catching up on grocery shopping etc in between swims.
22nd Oct. At 5:30 we were picked up by our piolet and taken to the air port. It was a stuffy ride in a small plane as we had to fly low to get a view as there was smoke comming in off a fire in the Taniami Desert. Despite ther fog we still had great views of Lake Argyle and the Bungle Bungles. We got picked up a the air port inside the bungles (a dirt strip) in a new Land Cruiser by Mark our tour guide and were the only people on the tour. We had breakfast at the wilderness camp (with fresh baked muffins) and recovered from the motion sickness form the bumpy plane ride. We walked through to Cathedral Gorge with a detour to some lookouts, drove to the other end of the park and had lunch and then to Echidna Chasm. It is a spectacular sight to stand in amongst the domes rather than just flying over them. The plane returned to take us back to Kunanurra with us being the only passengers for the flight.
23rd Oct. A cruisy day in Kunanurra today, went to Zebra Rock Art Gallery and for a drive throught the horticulture area.
24th Oct. Drove early out to Parry's Lagoon for some bird nerd watching (magpie geese, wistling ducks, jabiru, brolga's, white bellied sea eagles, jackana's only to name a few). Then up to Five Rivers lookout at Wyndam. This I can not describe the scale of the flood land area for every direction you looked from this hill you could see flood plains and rivers that meet in a channel that goes to the ocean. We visited the sculptures of Aboriginal people in town and purchased some art work on a boab nut sold to us from Gary Mark a local man who helped to keep the park in order. From there we followed some of the King River and out to and Aboriginal Art site and decided not to take the back rd into ElQuesrto so returned via the main rd. We made the hot uneven walk acroos the rockyu river bed up to Emma Gorge where we had the place to ourselves for the afternoon and we ammused ourselves swimming in the pool at the bottom of the falls catching the droplets that fall from 80 feet up and arrive in slow motion in your mouth if you can.
25th Oct. A relaxing day turned in to one spent mostly chatting with our neighbouring travellers and a drive out to Ivanhoe Crossing (the Ord River) and a cook up in the Cobb (kind of oven thing we bought out of the back of a Winebago).
26th Oct. We drove today from Kunanurra which took us into the Northern Teritory (Sam's last state unvisited) to Timber Creek at Gregory's N.P. We pulled into a camp ground and had a quick bite to eat with the heat and the flys, so on we drove to Kathryn to where Nard promised an oasis of clear spring water to swim in amongs the trees just at the back of the van park. And he delivered. After a long day in the car I got to laze in a flowing channel of fresh spring water surrounded by Pandanas palms and where the water cascaded over the rocks the water fizzed and smelled like tonic water.
27th Oct. We had a lazy sleep in with the time change and headed off to Kathryn Gorge where we canoed up river to a beach for a swim, we did not see any freshy's but a turtle and some fishes. We got a bit to much sun whilst canoeing and went back to the springs to relax and cool off.
28th Oct. Packed up and had a quick dip in the springs before heading off, stopping at Edith Falls for a swim and on to Litchfield N.P. We stopped at the magnetic termite mounds (the build mounds facing north and south to regulate body temperature by moving east and west inside mounds) then to Wangi falls where we set up camp. We had a lazy arvo swimming and sleeping on the tables they build for people to stay off the grass away from biting insects. I have to say it takes a little getting used to swimming in places where there are crocs. The signs have two pictures. One of a nice croc and one of a nasty croc. It says that there are freshys but just don't harass them, and that there can be saltys and they can move in to the area undetected and can cause serious harm or even death. Then it says 'just don't swim when we have the signs up' even if they can move in to the area undetected. And then you decide it is so hot and there are so many other people in the water you will take your chances. Apparently they trap the salty's after the wet season so it is safe to swim. Half of Darwin is there with therir Bundy cans and eski's so we took a punt.
29th We went for a drive out to the Lost City (an area covered with limestone rocks that have not eroded with time and look like a hows this a lost city. We then went to Blues Rock Holes which were awsome. A series of maybe 10 rock pools that follow the course of the river for a few hundred meters. A great place to spend a warm day and being a weekend a few people from Darwin thought so too. We then moved on to Florence falls braving the 135 steps down into the swimming hole at the base of another fall. We went back to Wangi for another swim where we ventured over to this rock pool kind of in the cliff face to view the snake. Over the few days camped here we have seen more than one person eye off the lovely natural bath that is set into the rock face and has a small seperate waterfall of its own. They swim over climb up the rocks and hop in the pool - and scream snake and jump out. The poor thing had been scared out of its hole so many time it had taken refuge in the main fall and was easily viewed without getting into the bath with it.
30th Oct. From Litchfield N.P. we went to a van park in Palmerston (Darwin). We went in to the city (not much different in size than Gelong) and had luch in a nice city like cafe.
31st Oct. We had to get our camera de-dusted so back into Darwin city today. We went to the Botanical Gardens for lunch and a walk.
1st Nov. Nard decided that he would go for a skate in 33 degree heat so we could have a play with the camera and tweeked his back because he is too old to skate. We went for a drive to the Charles Darwin N.P and sat under a rotunda to watch an arvo storm come through and enjoy the cool change. We then spent some time in the Darwin Museum and took ourselves to the Darwin Warf Precinct where there are resteraunts out on the Warf and had fish and chips.
2nd Nov. Went back to the museum this morning to finnish looking around, had lunch at the water gardens. Rested up at camp as nard still has a sore back.
3rd Nov. Went to go out to Berry springs this morning and as we drove out the caravan park we got a phone call from Anthea to say she was a short ride away so we met her in Palmerston for a coffe and catch up for a few hours. Always nice to see a familiar face. We ventured out to Berrry Springs but as Nard's back still sore we didn't hang out to relax, just lunch and a swim and we were off again. Another storm this evening.
4th Nov. Wet pack up but gave us a chance to hose off the camper. On our drive out to Kakadu we stopped off at Window to the Wetlans an interpretive center with telescopes to watch the birds on the wetlands. We stopped at Mamukala Bird Observatory but it was not as good as Parry's and was piping hot so we kept on to the van park at Jabiru that had a top pool to spend the arvo in. Another storm this evening.
5th Nov. A drive out to Ubirr this morning to see rock paintings and spectacular view to stone country, wet lands and Arnhem Land. We then had a lunch stop off at East Alligator Creek and got a glimpse of our first salty's. Tonight a fantastic storm to watch out our window while NArd obsessed about where the water was comming in so that he could silicone it, there were rivers flowing through the van park and at the back of the car was ankle deep in water. We were lucky that by chance the shady spot we had decided to set up in was also the highest.
6th Nov. Up early for a 6:00 boat cruise. Fantastic close up views of crocs swimming beside the boat, birds gallore and magic scenery. This is the Kakadu you imagine as during wet season this area turns into a 15 km square lake. We then visited the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Center and then took on a psycho walk up a hill to Mirrai lookout in 39 degree heat. We decided after recovering that was enough for the day and we would come back to se therest. Nard was feeing a bit run down so back to camp. Another wicked sotrm but it blew off the awning so we had to close the windows and could'nt watch lest we got drenched.
7th Nov. Slow pack up this morning due to storm but then as we drove out of Kakadu we re-visited Nourlangie Rock to view the rock art. We gunned it without stopping to Pine Creek as Nard wanted to watch the running of the Melbourne cup. We got there with time enough to but on a bet, get a drink and the race starts. Having never bet on a Melbourne Cup except for backyard BBQ sweeps the horse Sam chose came first and even with the cost ofthe bet and the drinks we were up over a hundy. So while everyone hurried out the pub and went back to work (the race that stops the nation) we hopped back in the car and took ourselves via Kathryn for a swim in the springs to Mataranka for a swim in those springs. We sat in the outside pub there and cooed over a baby wallaby enough that they let me bottle feed it. Andafter it's fed it bites and boxes and fidgets.
8th Nov. Starting to gt very weary and tired of the heat we opted to keep moving to Tennant Creek and Alice Springs where the temperatures were about 33 and 15 overnight, a cool bonus. We had a quick dip in the hot springs and drove to Daly Waters. A small town of history this town had the first international airport in australia, has the Stuart Tree where they thinnk Stuart or one of his party carved the letter S into a tree on there search for a path through the caenter of Aus and the ledgendary Dally Waters Pub. This quirky outback pub has a token from alsmost everyone ever visisted there left on the walls. They are literally covered with photos, buisness cards, licences, foreign moneys, stickers, underwear, bras, thongs of the feet kind nailed to poles and every other thing you could immagine left behind as a toklen of ones visit there. We stayed for a counter meal and it also happens to be the only pub I have been to that has a pool fence door that leads directly from the bar to a pool you can swim in and we did. We then drove on to Tennant Creek where the night was cooler and the fisrt time since a week into a trip that we pulled up the doona.
9th Nov. Today another long drive to Alice Springs with only one stop off at the Devils Marbles.
10th Nov. This morning feeling so tired could hardly stand so realising that after drinking between 4 - 6 litres each a day to stay hydrated and not taking any salt tablets that we were probaly lacking in a few. So after purchasing some powerade and rehydration saches I lay under a tree in the shade for the morning while Nard attempted to look around Alice. An epifany occured whilst laying under that tree that I was exhausted and even if I could face the heat I was over saturated with sight seeing and did not want to just tick the big rock off my list and drive on. So no convincing needed, whilst I lay under the tree Nard had the trailer packed and we were back in the car in under 30 minutes quickest pack up ever. So on to Coober Pedy.
11th Nov. We piked it and stayed in an air conditioned motel room in Coober Pedy and awoke still feeling ill, not able to eat and forcing powerade and cold sweat tasting saches down our throats. We did however awake to a cool change, rains had come and an overcast day kept the travels nice and cool for the rest of the day. The night before we had sommened up some enthuiasm to look around the town but awoke still feeling shitty and just got into the car and drove on drinking more sports drinks. Around mid arvo we pepped up, regained our appetites and arrived in Adleaide around 6. Nard's sister had guests for the wekend so we stayed in another hotel as the caravan park was full. And of all movies on the Wizard of Oz to remind us of our journey and that there is no place like home.
12th Nov. We drove into Adelaide itself to catch up with Kristian and went to Glenelg fo a big breaky. We then went for a drive up into the hills and ended up in Grumy's Brewrey for the day before dropping Kristian off and heading to Michelle and Scott's.
13th Nov. Drove into Adelaide and went to Rundell Mall and for a walk along the Torren's river.
14th Nov. Drove out to the Barrossa valley for a picnic and walk through native botanical gardens.
We are here for a few more days and then we will drive on to Avenell to retrieve our dogs if Nard's parents will give them back to us.
We have had a fantastic journey. We have had the opportunity to spend time with friends who live too far away, to see some fantastic sights along the way, to get to spend time to get know each other better and to step out of life's whirlwind and examine what is most important to us. And that is there is no place like home because it is filled with those whom we love and cherish. Not to say we have not started planning the next trip and the next leg of life's journey! Thanks for travelling with us...

---