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Published: August 28th 2009
One thing I love about traveling is all the different unexpected opportunites that come up. One morning I was sitting at my hostel eating breakfast, contemplating on what time I should head to the beach when I overheard some other backpackers at my table. They were making a call trying to find someone to fill their empty seat. A few days before I had been searching for a lift along the Gibb River Road, a remote 700 km (450 miles) 4WD track through the Kimberleys from Broome toward Darwin. It was tricky business finding a backpacker who has a 4WD as well as an extra seat and the desire to spend a week with a total stranger. After a few days searching and one close lead, I had given up my search, resigned to go the more popular highway route that skips all the attractions the Kimberley has to offer. I started talking to the three other backpackers and 30 minutes later we were at the shopping center getting food supplies for the next week! Easy as that! I had found a ride in Stuart's 4WD along with Craig and Bili. We were the United Nations: England, Scotland, Israel and American!
The following day we set out and drove the easy leg of the journey along paved roads to Derby. We made it just in time to watch the sunset before finding a suitable campervan park and setting up tent and making dinner. We happened to run into three guys we knew from out hostel, and they told us of their scary near death encounter. They had gone on the scenic flight to the Horizontal Waterfalls but nearly drowned in the plane when it flipped over on their water landing. Luckily no one was seriously injured and all lived to tell the tale. Scary stuff though! The next morning we swung by the visitor information center and gathered all the important information for our remote drive. Many people don't make this trek because it's quite common for tires to blow and cars to break down without any sort of service station for a few hundred kilometers. You're urged to bring extra jerry cans of petrol as well as a few days extra food and water supplies, just in case you get stranded in the desert. After picking up our little brochure with the road map, we felt sufficienty safe and prepared
to tackle this dusty stretch of road.
After driving hours through flat desert country, it was wonderful to see the Napier Range, an ancient reef regarded by geologists as a classic feature of world geology. We stopped at Windjana Gorge and played with the crocodiles before heading to Tunnel Creek where we walked through a stream in the pitch black hoping that no stray crocs decided to live here as well. Back on the road we drove until the sun set, then set up camp at the first flat area we spotted. This became our daily routine, to get off the road when it started to get dark to avoid hitting kangaroos or cattle, both of which could do serious damage to the car. Bili and I had done our food shopping together, so each night we pulled out the fresh veggies and tuna while the boys cooked up some combination of tinned food: beans, chili, potatoes, pasta...you name it. Then we'd stare at the stars and play cards while sipping on our warm beer before calling it a night and crawling into our tents. Just after sunrise we'd wake up, take our tents down, make brekky and then
hit the road. One thing we quickly got into practice of was rolling up our windows as another vehicle approached. It was worth the temporary heat suffocation to avoid the car filling with dust. I learned the hard way that it's better to nap with your window closed. After being lulled to sleep by the vibrating car, I awoke to find my hair had turned a reddish orange color from the dust billowing in my cracked window. The boys then nicknamed me Ginger for having red hair. It wasn't until the next day when we sneaked into a resorts shower block that I was back to my normal blonde self.
On our third day of bouncing down the corrugated dusty road we came across Bell Gorge. We had all been looking forward to this little detour because we heard you could swim here! Sure enough, after walking 15 minutes from the carpark we came across a wide water filled gorge amidst red rocks. We all gladly jumped into the pool at the base of the small tumbling falls and swam to our delight. We spent a few hours here trying to climb up the slimy rope to the first
level of the falls, cliff jumping, and sunbathing. During this last part, as I was snoozing on the hot red rock, my leg was almost shaken off by Stuart who had thought he spotted a croc swimming quickly away from us. It only turned out to be a water lizard about 3 feet long, but it was enough make you think twice before jumping back in the water. After enjoying the afternoon in the water and sun, we grudgingly got back into the car and continued driving east. We made a quick pitstop at the Imintji Store, our first chance to stock up on supplies. So of course we got just the bare essentials: ice cream and iced coffee. Somethings you just can't live without when driving through the desert!
The next day we got an early start and made it to the Kalumburu Road turn off. This would take us the 250km north to Mitchell Falls. We stocked up on fuel and iced coffee at Drysdale River Station, the only store for the next 2 days, and then continued north. This turn-off road is known to be in even worse condition than the Gibb River Road, and sure
enough an hour later after some sever corrugation we hear a change in the normal motor sound. We all get out of the car to find that a few bolts of the underside protective plate had rattled free. Luckily enough we only had to wait 5 minutes before another car came by with the appropriate tools to remove the other two bolts. We considered turning back to get it fixed but decided we could live without the protective plate for a few more days. So we bundled it up in our extra tarp and stuffed in into the back with the now dusty baggage. This was our only major problem during the whole trip. We had a few other minor problems, such as a chip in the windshield, both the backseat doors filling being unable to open (clogged with dust?) and probably the biggest hassel of all: the rear door also filling with dust clogging the latch making it impossible to open. As we were passing through one of the fuel stations, we asked the mechanic to help us out and he showed us how to bang on the door in just the precise spot with your hand while lifting
the lever, and presto...the latch would catch and the door would pop open! Now that's how you fix things in the bush!!
After driving about 4 hours to get up to the Mitchell Falls campground we went for a quick wash/swim in the nearest rock pool before digging into dinner and then falling asleep. This night we set the new record for calling it a day...8:30pm. Each day we would go to bed earlier and earlier. Once the sun set at 5:30, it would be completely dark by 6 and not much to do other then eat and sleep. The boys always gave Bili and I a hard time for our early bedtime, but we just brought up the fact that we woke up each morning with the sun and had to wake them up otherwise we'd never get started with our day. The next morning we trekked the 7km downstream to Mitchell Falls, a mutli-tierred falls ending in a giant pool with crocs. We played around on the rocks overlooking the falls before going for a much needed swim in the creek above the falls, don't worry, no crocs up here! Then we jumped back in the car and drove all the way back to the main road and then a bit farther east.
Our last stop was El Questro Station and it turned out to be the highlight of the trip. We arrived in the morning and spent the rest of the day enjoying some of the sights this station has to offer. First we went to Zebedee Springs, a narrow palm valley with small thermal spring pools. We spent two hours lounging in the hot waters, talking with other travels and exclaiming about this beautiful place. We onlu moved on once the tour groups arrived and kicked us out. We drove 10 minutes down the road to El Questro Gorge and walked 45 minutes to the Halfway Pool. This time we plunged into the crystal clear cold waters and swam until the canyon walls blocked the sun. We had a scare when the car sputtered to a halt while fording a small but deep stream. We had to wait for a few minutes for the engine to clear from water before continuing down the road to Emma Resort where we sneaked into their showers and then spent the rest of the evening at the bar. It was a luxury to order a side of fries and enjoy some nice cold beverages, and enjoy it we did!! The next morning we awoke early to walk to Emma falls and Turquoise Pool. The trail meandered up a stream with the gorge walls getting steeper and steeper. At one point in the stream, rocks formed a sort of blockade creating a beautiful turquoise pool with small trickle of water cascading into it. Just a few hundred meters further, the gorge came to an end with high red cliffs covered in green plants and an impressive waterfall. We swam at the base of Emma Falls and found an area where a hot springs gurgled out of the rock wall and warmed the waters of the pool. It was luxury! We loitered here as long as possible before driving the last strecth to Kununurra and civilization. It was hard to believe all the beautiful spots we had encountered while driving through this barren, dry land. I totally understand why this area of the country is considered so special and why the aborigines have so many spiritual places in the deep gorges and waterpools.
I really lucked out with my traveling companions and was sad to leave them as they contintued north to Darwin. As our last meal together, we bought hamburger supplies and cooked up some absolutely delicious burgers that we chowed down in record time! The next morning we said our goodbyes and made promises to visit eachother in our home countries. And that's how easy it is, after knowing eachother for just over a week we had all become life long friends and will always share the hot, dusty, bumpy experience of the Gibb River Road, one of the more remote tracks in australia!
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Aunt Kathy & Uncle Joe
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Great trip!
Anna: Great to hear from you!! Wonderful pictures - sounds like quite an adventure!! Thanks for sharing it with us, Joe really liked it too. I'm so glad things worked out for you to see that special place - looks like you definitely needed a 4 WD!! We had a great trip too, got back on the 10th and both of us have headed back to work. We were travelling in the footsteps of Charlemagne (crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD) which finally made European history make sense!! Belgium was incredible and we really enjoyed spending the weekend with our friends in Antwerp - they have absolutely the best chocolate, pastries and beer in the world in Belgium!! Boy, would it be easy to get fat there! We also visited Amsterdam - wonderful canals, art and we were able to go into the Ann Frank house, which was very touching. Then Aachen, Germany, which is where Charlemagne lived in his later years because of the hot springs. We were able to go to mass in the Cathedral that he built. On to Luxembourg City (a charming, but heavily fortified city that has seen more than its fair share of war), Paris (more art and food, plus jazz one night), Rouen (where Joan of Arc was tried and burned at the stake), and then Brugge and Antwerp in Belgium. We loved it!! Glad you are getting to explore the world too. Kevin is doing well - playing more and more and seems to be enjoying himself. Sean is coming up tonight for the weekend, to see a friend before he heads back to Washington DC. Grace is coming up to visit and will be staying with Shannon and Petra, over Bumbershoot weekend (next weekend). We're looking forward to seeing her. Saw Conor, Mary, Dan, Dana, and Lily last weekend at Rocky Bay. Conor told us a little about your Ireland trip too! We send lots of love. Aunt Kathy and Uncle Joe