I have already said that we had seen fires over several days and particularly on the journey into the Bungle Bungles. They had come considerably closer. Word came through that the rangers had been fighting the fire until 4.30 am. The track was still not open.

We packed up from the camp suite and drove out onto the road to the Ranger’s office. Here there was a large Road Closed sign.

As it turned out, we waited there about 3 hours by which time we had been joined behind the barrier by a number of independent tourists and another Overland trip truck. (This was the group who should have been our fellow travellers. They were more of our age – but so glad we weren’t part of their party!) At about 10.00am the Ranger drove us out in convoy.

You could see and smell the fire.

Close to the road controlled burnings had taken place to try to hold the fire back from the road and it’s combustible traffic. We travelled some way and then the fire started up again on the road in front of us.

We stopped and waited for it to be cleared. We moved forward again. This pattern was repeated several times before we were waved off by the Ranger. The hills off to our right were covered with smoke and fire and the blue sky had turned grey with smoke. In addition to the fire the track continued to switchback and forward and put boulders in the path of the convoy. The dust thrown up from the vehicles in front mixedwith the smoke to form a chocking smog.

The black kites which we have seen all along the journey were very much in evidence swooping over us to take advantage of the small rodents running ahead of the flames and the charred remains of those who did not make it. A fire truck passed. We travelled on for a few Km’s more and the fire was over for us. We had outrun the it. Sadly the fire fighters would have to continue their battle ……. all because of some thoughtless fire lighting in an area tinder dry.

We were now back on track but somewhat late for the sunset cruise on Lake Argyle due to start at 3.15. It was definitely ‘at risk’. The bone shaking track continued for about another 45 minutes before we were back onto a metalled road. We had got in and out of the Bungle Bungles. We were effectively retracing our steps back as far as the Doon Doon road station. From there we headed for Lake Argyle.

What an experience.

We eventually came to the sign to Kununurra, the town established from the activity involved in the damming of the River Ord to create Lake Argyle, the largest lake and reservoir in Australia.

There was a really noticeable transition from the bush to urbanisation as we crossed the dam and entered the neat town. We had pounded away the kilometres to get to the cruise and, although late, we skidded down the path to the lakeside. The sun, though slipping down the sky, had not set. Shuddering to a halt at the jetty the beer Eskie was quickly offloaded on to the boat. It was well after 3.15. We were very late and the sun would not wait. We were off!

Lake Argyle is 20 times the size of Sydney harbour. It is man made, as I have said, by damming up a bulge in the river Ord. The dam took only a couple of years to build in the late 60’s and, surprisingly, there is no concrete in it. It has created a lake 70 Km long and 45 Km wide. Freshwater crocodiles up to 4 metres long live in it.

Rock wallabies live on its rocky shores.

Spot the wallaby!

We were inches from the shore before the beer was liberated. Our jolly skipper gave a hasty version of evacuation procedures and a few facts and figures – he was obviously providing us with a whistle stop tour of his usual dialogue for these tours, constantly keeping an eye on the sun.

It was a beautiful lake.

The sun did eventually sink and very beautiful it was too.

We stopped for the water babies to swim and dive off the boat

– we just drank a beer, nibbled on dips and enjoyed the scenery.

It was in the end time to go. It was dark by the time we had returned to the jetty. There was the faithful Jodie waiting for us.

She drove us up the winding path away from the lake to our penultimate camp site, our time together is running out.

We were up at 3.45 (we had all blind voted to do this the night before – a special treat offered by Jodie (she probably says that to all the groups, but we felt very special) to see the sun rise over the Bungle Bungles. It was still very dark when we got up and the stars were still in the sky. We all tumbled into the truck and Jodie drove into the night, up to the track leading into the dome area. There we watched the most amazing dawn light infuse the sky and the rocks. Another very special experience. It was well worth getting up for!

We watched in awe as dawn came and the Bungle Bungles came to life. We had breakfast as we watched. Amazing.

As the day lit up in response to the sun, we headed to Picaniny Gorge, the main Bungle Bungle site. The Bungle Bungles have only been a tourist site since 1983 when a film crew were shown it and it more or less instantly became a tourist favourite. We were heading to Cathedral Gorge. On the way Jodie pointed out the Holly Gravillea plant. Historically this was one of the only sources of ‘sweet’ food in the Aboriginal diet. The move from this to the processed sugars of the whiteman has been a major cause of health issues among the indigenous people.

The whole Bungle Bungle area is a sacred place of song, dance and ritual to the Aboriginals. The walk into cathedral Gorge was nice and shady and the path along the Gorge floor an unusually easy walk!.

The ‘cathedral’ is a natural amphitheatre created by the rock with amazing acoustic qualities. As we neared the end of the Gorge the vast mouth of the cavern appeared opened up in front of us. It had a sepulchral feel to it. It was huge. In front of the cave was a large pool of water.

Where the Aboriginal people have, over millennia, held major gatherings and ceremonies, now the modern Australian takes in an orchestra to take advantage of the sound quality and charges vast amounts for the privilege. A much more material approach and not at all in keeping with it’s origins, but it would be a sensational evening to attend!!

As it was still early (it was just after 7.00) and we had the place to ourselves, we sat in silence for a couple of minutes to enjoy the aura of the place. It was an amazing spot.Then, to show us the effect of adding sound, Jody went to take up a position at the front of the cave and behind the pool. She looked like a little pin head in the great gaping mouth, but the music was sensational as it echoed off the walls.

After a wander around the area and a bit of general singing to demonstrate the sound quality,

we left this magical place behind and headed back out into the sun and ever increasing heat. Despite this, young Jodie decided to demonstrate in the sand how the Bungle Bungles had formed, I was so in awe of her ability to do this in the blazing heat, I took nothing in.

Anyone interested could perhaps google ….

We then took another path off the trail to the Picanniny Lookout. This gave us a higher view of the landscape and another angle on the scene.

The day was very hot by then – it was 8.30. We were told of the opportunity to do a further walk – the Dome Loop – on the way back. I noted that no-one took the opportunity…… the heat does rather strangle ones energy and erode some of the dedication!! It certainly curbs my purist tendencies.

Next stop was to be (another!) highlight of the trip. Having lost out on the opportunity to fly over the horizontal falls in Broome, we had opted to to take a helicopter ride over the whole Bungle Bungle area. Helicopter flying was to be a new experience for us both! After a bit of health and safety stuff (eg not to put you hand out 😳, don’t walk into the blade at the back etc eeek!). We were collected by young Adrian (I didn’t like to ask for his credentials but he said it was to be his last day of work for the season – everything closes down before the wet season starts – so I guessed he would not want to do anything silly) who was to be our pilot. We were to be the only passengers. Having been escorted to our vehicle, (where were the doors!?!) and settled into our seats, final safety checks were carried out and we were off. It was hair follicle stimulatingly amazing! I left photography to an incredibly confident (no sign of vertigo!) Mr Gregory sitting up front with Adrian and just enjoyed the view.

He seemed oblivious to the increasingly distant ground which I was only too conscious of from my seat in the back row. I was happier just hanging on to the grab rail in front of me……. Enough of my angst.

We first flew over an area that was the site of Aboriginal graveyards, where tourists are not allowed to go. The view over the whole area was incredible. I had no idea the Bungle Bungles were so vast.

Looking down on the top of the striped domes gave a totally different perspective. After about 20 minutes and feeling more comfortable, I just loved turning into the wide fingers of the Giant Gorge. The helicopter banked so we could see deep into the chasm beneath us. I felt like I was riding on a giant dragon fly and getting a god like view of a true wonder of nature. We flew over the Picanniny routes beneath us where we had walked earlier. I loved it. Keith said it was not only a special experience of the trip but also a special experience of his life. I have to agree. Pretty special.

When we got back to earth, the heat really hit us Dear Jodie had set up lunch at the Helicopter station and was busy cooking crumbed chicken on a barbecue. (Of course). We were clapped in by the others – only a few had taken flights – they were a delight in their pleasure at our pleasure. This birthday celebration just gives and gives!

Lunch over and kit packed away, it was time to take off on a walk to the Echidna Chasm, but it was a step too far for Keith and me. Despite the assurance that the walk was quite shady, it was by now 40 degrees and we thought it was something we could miss. We sat at the Purnululu Park shop and I wrote and Keith dozed and ipadded.

After a couple of hours the others returned and we got back to camp at 3.30. We were to spend another night there.

A hose pipe was attached to the tap and the pipe thrown over a tree. An impromptu shower and naturally amazingly warm. Despite being in a desert and having been warned of the need to conserve water, some took the opportunity a hair wash – I guess it must have been a hair washing day. Some habits cannot be broken!

Early in the evening a ranger arrived to say that the bush fire we had seen a couple of days before and on the way in to the area, was still raging and that it was blocking the Spring Creek Track which we needed to take to get out of the Purnululu National Park. At that point there was no way out. It was hoped things would be better by the morning but we had to check with the ranger before setting out.

It had been a long day…….

We headed out through the peaks and cliffs of the Carr Boyd and Duraack Ranges

(you see, the Durack have even got a range named after them!) en route to the remote outback town of Warnum, commonly known as Turkey Creek. Shortly after setting off we arrived at our first stop, the hot water Zebedee Springs. These are still part of the vast acreage that is the El Questro set up. It was amusing to note that the public is allowed to use the springs up until 12 noon. After that they are for the dedicated use of the El Questro Homestead guests……

One’s first impression of the area was the lush vegetation. It was truly tropical rain forest. The area’s water is fed from a fault line in the earth’s crust and provides a permanent supply of warm water to the springs from deep within the earth. The water temperature is constantly 28 – 32 degrees all the year round. The surrounding cliff faces and scree slopes are thought to be up to1800 million years old…apparently scientists have recently identified an ancient aquatic isopod crustacean (a white crab like creature to you and me) in the water which is only found here.

Our water babies immediately stripped off and wallowed in the warm water. Dedicated readers will be pleased to hear that I spent my time updating my diary……

After an hour at the hot springs we were back on the truck for the short drive to Emma Gorge. The walk started from another resort owned by the El Questro people – we still haven’t left their land! After topping up our water at a tap in a Boab tree (not really Boab water!),

we started our hike up to the turquoise pool which lies at the bottom of the waterfall in Emma Gorge. I think I would describe my effort as quite lacklustre. I think I am perhaps getting cumulatively tired despite my early nights! Maybe I have to accept that I am getting old. Whatever it was, I made a bit of a fist of it! After an initial period on a sandy path, the rocks started.

We crossed and recrossed the trickling water. The day was quite warm, although still early. Quite soon I was lagging behind – not least because the scenery was beautiful and I was taking photographs. I was conscious that the voices of the rest of the party were disappearing into the distance, so I picked up speed, tripped over a boulder and fell down on the rock. I picked myself up and dusted myself down and in my effort to catch up, missed the turning and lost the blue spots denoting the route.

Hmmmm thinks I. Not very clever. In the event I decided to sit tight in the optImistic hope that I might be missed. So I sat on a rock and watched the water meandering around the rocks at my feet, tum tee-tumming, and sure enough my knight in shining armour came back to find me. I was very pleased to see Keith’s face peering down at me😎! I was only a few feet from the path but had missed a very large sign turning right and I had turned left! Jodie had also returned to find out what had happened to this errant member of her flock!

Feeling somewhat embarrassed and woefully inadequate I was escorted up to the Turqoise Pool which wasn’t, in fairness, too far off. The others of course by this time shimmied up the side of the waterfall to the top. I was just happy to have made it to the Turqoise Pool and not be lost in the undergrowth.

In actual fact, the turquoise was something of a misnomer – apparently there was not enough water from the waterfall to give it the colour for which it is known. Having decided I had had enough excitement for the day, I just sat at the pool side for a bit before retracing my steps back. No harm done, just a bit of injured pride that I had been so foolish and a banged knee, the like of which had not been seen since my playground days…….

After a reviving drink at the resort bar – it was still only 10.30 so it was a very soft drink – we were back on the road and heading for the Purnululu National Park and the Bungle Bungles. It was along drive but we had great views of the huge ranges of mountains as we travelled along. We stopped off briefly at Warnum, or Turkey Creek as it is commonly known.

Post lunch we set out on the challenging terrain of Springs Creek Road, definitely requiring a 4 x 4 status vehicle. We lurched and swung along the windy road. The truck bucked and rolled. We had tied everything down before we set out, but nevertheless things started to roll about and fall off shelves in the back cabin. We saw further smoke in the distant hills. The fire we had sighted the day before was still going. Photos taken through the truck window……

After about an hour and a half of this, we turned into our camp site, described as having ‘basic facilities’. We were parked amongst trees. There was a surprisingly non smelling drop loo in a tin hut and nothing else. We were quite used to sleeping under the stars by now but it was the first time we had absolutely no other amenities on this trip. Back to the wipes!

We unpacked our bags and the swags but then dashed off to see the sun set over the Bumgle Bungles, the dome like rocks of the area.

The domes are made of multicoloured sand and limestone with the grey areas the-colour of a bacteria when heated by the sun. Clustered together they look like giant stripey rock beehives. Controversially, I think I liked them better than Uluru (Ayers Rock). We stood and watched the sun go down and after that the reds of sunset turn the rocks to deep reds and purples. It was glorious. When the purples had deepened again and darkness began to fall we headed back to our camp and supper. The food just gets better and better despite the facilities getting less and less. There was no lighting of fires here. As we had entered the Purnululu National Park there had been big signs to this effect. The word was that the fire we had seen from a distance had been started deliberately.

An additional treat for the day was when Tobin, our resident German astronomer talked us through the stars of the Southern Hemisphere which have given us such a wonderful show every night. It was fascinating and the numbers of lightyears involved I found mind bending. What an added bonus! Without the truck lights we have absolutely no light pollution. The night sky was just stunning.

We were up early as I usual and out walking by 7.00. As I have explained, because of the heat our cycle of life has shifted. We rise early but are often in bed (for this read swag) by 8.30. It is the way to make the most of the coolness of the early morning and evening. It is now regularly at least 37 degrees in the middle of the day.

The swimmers were off to do another action packed hike, but we decided to head off on a more sedentary track to a thousand year old Boab tree. The Korean ladies had also opted for our easier option, so the four of us set off as the rest left. We walked from the site, turning right just short of the Pentecost River which we were to follow for much of the walk.

Our route took us along the rivers edge, through the mixed vegetation of the river bank. Tall palm trees gave a sparse canopy. Lush green plants hugged the river shore line.

The track grew more stony but was well signposted and some time later we left the river completely. Initially the route was quite shaded but as we turned away from the water, the rocks became bigger and we were more exposed to the sun which was heating up by the moment it seemed. We could still hear the river gurgling along at this stage, but then we turned quite determinedly right and the gurgling disappeared. We were now in a more forested area and it was not long before a huge Boab tree loomed up before us. It was huge. Its root like branches thrust into the air.

On its side huge carbuncles had developed. Its bark had a very elephantine look, I thought. I find it difficult to contemplate that this tree would have already been well established when William the Conquerer shot Harold in the eye….. enough of these ramblings, we took photographs and two smartly dressed ladies (from the posher part of El Questro no doubt!) came along and took our photos all together which was nice.

It was soon time to start the scramble back. We retraced our steps and arrived back at the camp at about 9.30 having walked 10kms. All in all not a bad effort in the heat, but we were gasping. Despite the prices, we decided to have a drink at the alternatively named ‘El Costro’ bar which the Korean ladies kindly paid for – it was very nice of them and much appreciated!! We then had free time until the trip we had decided to go on that afternoon. It was advertised as ‘4 wheel drive and river sunset cruise’. It did not quite turn out that way…..

I have to say that when Keith first suggested going on the outing I was not overly excited and I was even less enamoured when we were picked up in a roofed vehicle covered in red dust when I had just summoned the energy to have a second shower and change of clothes (it was 2.00pm). In the end I was really pleased we went. Our very competent young woman driver took us out over the cobbled river beds and rocky route towards Explosion Gorge. On the way we visited another famous Boag tree, this one with the initial D carved in it by one of the pioneering Durack family, who I am reading about at the moment. I felt almost related – although it was very naughty of them. The white man’s habit of carving into these trees led to the death of many of them ( the trees not the white men).

The track was very rough going – not dissimilar to the back seat of the truck! – and we swerved and skidded over the terrain for nearly an hour before reaching the Gorge. Here were were offered water before joining our ‘craft’. I would not call it a boat.

At the current time the water in the Gorge is perhaps no more than three foot deep in parts (it rises to at least 15 meters deep during the rainy season). Having no accommodation for a ‘draught’, we travelled in a small oblong flat bottomed arrangement to which an outboard motor was attached. There were just 8 of us plus the driver and we bobbed along the Gorge with it’s clear water and cliff like sides soaring over our head.

The water over years has carved great gouges out of the red ridged sandstone giving an almost huge barrel like appearance. The waterway eventually becomes the Pentecost River and follows the route down to the coast a distance of 220 Km’s. Having bobbed along the Gorge for a bit, we returned to the riverbank and having abandoned our craft, we set off back along the bumpy track, this time heading up to a promontory looking down on the river and across at Burrell’s Bluff (Bill Burrell was the name of the chap who developed El Questro into the the multimillion pound operation it is today). En route we had passed the Homestead where you can stay for a cool $3,000 Aus per night.

Another of the best views of the trip, it was a terrific spot from which to watch the sun go down. Our driver had brought cheese and biscuits and drinks to share, so we had a very civilised half an hour looking over the beautiful view.

To finish it off, along the river we saw a five foot saltwater crocodile having a swish around. Apparently the true name of These crocs is ‘estuarine’ as they can move between salt and fresh water. They have a device within them that converts salt to fresh water to allow them to drink……. who would have thought it?

Back at the ranch we had supper but not before a cast iron Dutch oven had fallen to the floor and broken in half.

Very odd and slightly unusual. Following another excellent supper – despite the breakage – we had news of the next day’s activity. We were leaving the sophistication of El Questro station for the Bungle Bungles.

Can’t wait!!

An alarm was not necessary as, promptly at 5.30, a host of white birds made a noisy fly past of screeching and wing flapping. It was just about dawn. It was time to be up. The white birds gone, the black kites flew into the sky space and flew lazily overhead.

By 7.00 breakfast was over, swags (remembering our rolling technique lesson and fearing to be found wanting) and bags were stowed away and we were off. Windjana returned to its peace and quiet and no one would have known we had been there. We left it to its peace and tranquility and occasional traveller. We were off to Bell Gorge, two hours away. After an hour, we stopped to look over a magnificent range of mountains that had appeared across the valley. This was the Leopold Range.

Over the lip of the road, a kapok tree framed our view. It had yellow flowers and lime coloured pods that apparently provided the stuffing for pillows. I think they would have struggled to make anything but a very small cushion from the few Kapok trees we saw on the whole trip. I guess you have to be committed to be purist about these things!

Back on the bus, we travelled further and eventually took the sign off to Bell Gorge. Having tumbled out of the bus we took a stony path down to the pool at the top of a water fall.

Keith and I set out to find a flat rock in the shade while some took to the water there and others climbed down to the base of the waterfall. We were just passing a rock when a large snake came into view. It was later identified as one of the famous Australian Browns, one of the deadliest snakes in the world……. ho hum! (Or you could read ‘screech’!). It did have a head, but Keith did not quite catch it.

The thinker perched on another rock……

It was a pretty spot.

We left after an hour or so. We had a lunch stop on the road and a late afternoon stopped at another pool where there was an aboriginal painting under a cliff and more swimming took place. I acted as court photographer! Totally disregarding the hullabaloo, a lizard sunbathed on a rock…….

We eventually reached Galvins Gorge our spot for the night. We had collected wood along the road for a camp fire and not long after we arrived, the fire was alight and cooking was on the way. This included ‘damper’ an Australian delicacy cooked Friday with hot ashes from the fire ina Dutch oven.

We were camped around a wonderful old Boab tree that seemed to watch over as the sun sank behind it.

We had it with an excellent ragu with the damper bread to dip in it for supper. Food on the trip has been excellent!

And so to bed – another busy day tomorrow.

Broome is a long way from Darwin on the route we are travelling. We are to get there in 9 days. Another interesting fact is that Broome is closer to Bali than Perth. I can’t quite get my head around that !

We set off at about 7.00 to move deeper into the Kimberley region (Broome marks its west edge). We crossed the Fitzroy river

which runs deep into the outback and our first stop was 175 Km’s at the Willare Road House where there was another of those indicator boards telling us how far we were from everywhere. Seen he with Jodie…… the Wonder Woman!

It was not far from there that we turned off the road by a windmill and visited the Prisoner Tree.

This was a large Boab Tree, reckoned to be 1500 years old.

The Boab is a naturally occurring tree and thought by the Bunuba people, who inhabited the area to hold the spirits of their ancestors. However the first explorers came and started to destroy the trees by carving into the bark. They also set up cattle stations on the Bunuba land, utilising their water holes and destroying the Aboriginal food sources. The Bunuba people were effectively ousted and retaliated by spearing the white man’s cattle. This led to arrests and the Aboriginal prisoners were shackled together and collected at the Prisoner Tree before being marched off to prison at the coast.

The Boab tree has a large seed pod and looks as though it has been planted upside down with its roots in the place of leaves and branches. It is an odd looking affair but we became very fond of them!

It is thought that the indigenous people inhabited the land for at least 65,000 years and evidence has been found to this effect. When Captain Cook arrived in Australia there were 250 Aboriginal countries within it. All spoke different languages, had different elders and laws. Each country could communicate with other countries around it. All of the countries had an oral culture and nomadic existence. They moved around to reflect the seasons, respectfully crossing borders. The white man came and took the land and did not respect their culture, indeed viewed them as nomadic savages. There are now only 25 of the Aboriginal languages left that are deemed to be healthy, ie being passed on to young people. The Aboriginals had no written language, but passed on information by drawings, songs or stories. These told of food sources and water holes, but also how to behave. Aboriginal children were also taught that it was rude to ask questions! A world with no ‘why’!?!

On the way to the Prison Tree we were introduced to the little red Crab Eye Seeds, said to be 12 times more poisonous than arsenic…… we also came across the wonderful Ghost Gum.

Leaving the Prison Tree behind, we set off up the Gibb River Road. We are now in a different world. The roads are unsurfaced, there is no reception, we are in Kimberley country. We drove for perhaps another 1.5 hours, heading for the Windjana Gorge, stopping first at Tunnel Creek.

We pulled off the road and made lunch. It was then time to don the water shoes, we were off to walk the tunnel under the cliff behind.

First we heard the tale of Jandamarra. To cut a very long story short, Jandamarra was born unto the Bunuba people but lived very close to the white man during his early life. . However, when he came of age he was initiated into the rites of the Bunuba and reverted to his origins. Eventually being arrested for cattle spearing with his Bunuba people, his early time with the white man as recognised and he became a tracker for them. He was well thought of and nicknamed ‘Pigeon’.

However, when the situation arose when he had to choose he chose his own people, murdered his white colleague and be became a renegade, leading the Bunuba in raids on the whiteman. He was hunted down once and escaped, but the second time he was tracked down and his head was chopped off. (His Head was subsequently shipped back to England to show Victoria that he was dead. I can’t believe it travelled well…..). This was a significant point in the relationship between the native Australians and those who came after and to a large extent reparations are still being made……Jandamarra was beheaded at the end of the tunnel.

It was time for the Tunnel. The rocks at the entrance once formed the edge of a coral reef when water covered the area. An enormous upheaval in the earth’s surface caused a fissure in the earth’s crust and the sea receded leaving the reef exposed. Over time the coral died and the limestone rocks were formed. Now the great boulders stand proud, sometimes grey, sometimes white, sometimes red.

The Bunuba people lived here.

After scrambling over these early boulders, we will entered the initially shaded but then dark interior. Headlights turned on we walked over the sandy cave floor and through water thigh high to me. It was cool but not freezing. Careful of submerged stones we came out onto damp sand and came to an area where daylight came through a hole in the rock ceiling.

Further on we could clearly see flying foxes looking bat like suspended from the ceiling.

White stalagtites thrust down from the ceiling and I was fascinated by the root of a fig tree above the tunnel whose roots had battled their way down through the ground to the rock ceiling of the cave, continued down through the space that was the the tunnel and was busily channeling its way into the damp floor. Determined or what!?!

We continued. Around a corner the ceiling had disappeared allowing sunlight in and the rocks showed their colour again in the brilliant light. It was beautiful. Further along and more water wading brought us to more water and the dark shadow of a fresh water crocodile on the opposite bank. An eye picked up the headlights we were wearing. More sand and shallow water followed and we were at the end. Trees lined the route from the cave.

This was apparently the point where Jandamarra met his end. Today it Is a peaceful spot. The sound of trickling water and the occasional bird call. No sign of the violence of his passing or of the water torrent that must pass this way when the water forces its way through during the winter.

We returned the way we came. Picking our way back through the water and sandy tunnel floor.

Back on the truck we headed back on the unmetalled Gibb River Road, to the site of our overnight stop Windjana Gorge. On the way we stopped at the Mount Barnet Road Station where wonderful cold drinks and ice creams were purchased. Phew! It gets very warm on those long sessions on the road.

Arriving at the campsite we unloaded the truck and went off to see the sunset Ver the Gorge. We first went through ahold through the rock and then along a tree lined gorge bottom by the waters edge. The water then billowed out to become a large pool where herons and spoonbills stood statue like staring at the water. There was a wide beach area. Keith and I sat be the river watching the crocodiles in the water and the reflection of the sun on the Gorge steep sides.

It was another night under the stars, but this time in swags. No tents. Jodie gave us a quick ‘how to use and roll a swag’ lesson, before she ran through the next day’s activity, as we sat round the camp fire. It was also an early night when we learnt that breakfast was to be at 5.00 the following day, ie a 4.30 start.

I think it might be a good time to talk about the weather, one of the main reasons for the early starts. The weather is getting noticeably hotter. By 9.00 am the temperature is well into the 30’s. By setting off on a walk or activity by 6.00am we are able to get going before the real heat sets in. The other reason is, of course, the number of miles we are having to cover each day. The majority of road in the Kimberley are unmetalked and often adversely affected by the water which gushes along them in the winter season. It is a rough ride.

Jodie arrives. She is our new driver/guide/cook and a real bundle of energy. To be honest our mood had been lagging a bit over our prolonged stay in Broome with its associated ups and downs and we were aware that the next section was likely to be more challenging than the first so I guess we were a little anxious. Jodie’s arrival changed all that!

She took us on a brief tour of the town (a little bit odd given that we have been here 3 days but it proved to be a delight!). Other personnel issues to note is that 6 people left our troop – Alison (English), Kevin and Fleur (Dutch), Sarah (Japanese) Ella (English) and Jess (German). However we gained 4, including a German astronomer who has just left his job to travel and write a book on the universe! So handy to have an astronomer on board when we have such wonderful starry skies!

From Jodie, who proved to be not only interested but knowledgeable about Australia’s indigenous people, we learnt that the area was originally inhabited by the Yawuru people. They are believed to go back 30,000 years. Then came the Dutch in the 1600’s and later the French. Then the English. The town developed initially was a place called Derby, further along the coast, based on the the pearl industry. At first harvesting pearls was achieved by deep diving. The Japanese were found to be best at this. However the pearl beds were nearer to the coast at Broome in Roebuck Bay which we went to see

and therefore, rather than commute, the town of Broome was established in 1883 and marks the westerly edge of the Kimberley. It is now a multicultural society, originally based on the different races of the first pearl fishermen. I say ‘fishermen’ but there was a view that the best pearl divers were pregnant women at one stage. This theory was totally flawed but a number of women and unborn babies perished before it was accepted as incorrect. Overall the Japanese continued to be the best divers, but there was a high mortality rate among them and there is a graveyard dedicated solely to these early Japanese fishermen. We had, in fact, unwittingly come across this on our protracted perambulation of the day before.

A family called Brown were the first English people to get involved in the industry in the mid 1900’s. A son of the family was sent by his father to work with the pearl divers to learn their trade. 2 years later the family firm was established and became the first company not to use Japanese divers. Broome claims to have the largest pearl producing oysters in the world. In the early days the aborigines traded them.

From these beginnings the town as it is now was born. To clarify, the three parts are in fact Town Beach, Cable Beach and China Town, not exactly the names I had been initially led to believe. Apologies for the previous misinformation!

Back on the truck, we drove to the lighthouse, so elusive the day before! 135 million years before the aboriginals, dinosaurs inhabited the the are as it was a key migration path for them along the coast. There is evidence of the footprints of three and five toed dinosaurs visible at low tide (as the tide did not permit, we saw a cast of their prints as we wandered down to the lighthouse).

Another highlight of this excursion was seeing the ospreys nesting in the metal work of the lighthouse, that I had been so dismissive of when we saw it from the seaward side two days previously.

Three little heads peeked over the top of the nest and screeching for food could be heard as the parent birds approached.

We had our lunch near the lighthouse and were to see our first example of what a difference a more organised tour guide can make. Jodie had a very different style, straight speaking, with highly colourful badinage, her expectations were clearly set out with defined guidelines as to how things would work. We were in a different league!

As part of our Broome tour we visited a pearl shop and rather wonderfully, I picked an imperfect pearl to add to my Birthday Booty of the trip, with the approval of and assisted by a hefty donation of the lovely Keith. It is beautiful and will be set for me and despatched to Wightman Towers to await our arrival in Sydney! A treasured reminder of the trip.

Next stop was a bit of a thirst quenching visit to Matso’s.

Returning to the Kimberley Hostel, we went via the bottle shop to obtained renewed beer supplies (we we were told that the road was too bumpy for bottles, cans only but bottles of wine were acceptable!?!). I don’t cease to be amazed at the enthusiasm with which these bottle shop visits are approached!!

We were re installed in our double room and spent the rest of the day preparing for the next section of the journey which, by all accounts will be more rufty-tufty than the first!! Water shoes had to be purchased and additional cosy wear for cold nights in the desert. We are to be out of touch of civilisation, by all accounts, for some time. Having said this there has been precious little communication up until now and nowhere near enough umpires to launch my blog missives.

A free day in Broome. Although we had no deadline, we were up by 8 and finding some of the group planning to set off for the Zoo Keepers upmarket restaurant recommended for breakfast, we abandoned our humble toast and made haste to join them.

Apparently Broome used to have a zoo, now abandoned, and the area is covered with rather grand housing where yummy mummies can be found parading the pavement with designer pushchairs. The Zoo Keepers House now hosts the restaurant as its name implies. It was quite a walk, but we arrived there about 9.00 and were well rewarded with muesli and fruit for Keith and smoked salmon mouse, beetroot purée (the Australians seem very fond of beetroot – a trait rear I really approve), Rosti and poached eggs. Washed down with fresh orange juice – it was good and a long way from our camp pre dawn starts to the day!

Having started the day so well, we left the others and headed off to the beach which had been the location of our boat trip the previous day. It was huge and quite empty apart from the occasional sun worshipper. Descending from the walkway, we decided to turn left along the sand towards the lighthouse we had seen before. It did seem a long way off. And so it proved. Crossing the line of jelly fish which, presumably, marked the tide turning,

we strolled happily along looking at the marks in the sand made by anonymous creatures and generally celebrating our good fortune.

An hour and a half later and somewhat closer to the lighthouse,

but still having not reached it, we decided we needed to turn inland and started to look for places where we could cross the bar of sand dunes to take us back to civilisation. We eventually came to a marker indicating a route over the dunes and set out over the hot sand and scrubby grassed dunes that marked the divide between road and beach. This proved easier said than done. First, because it was hard to get over the rise on the fine sand. It proved to be really hard work. Then when we reached the brow of the dune – we saw nothing but more dunes! Luckily the way marks we had first seen when we turned off the beach, continued up and down the contours of the sandy landscape. We eventually saw that we were coming to the end of the sand and a red coloured track came into view and at last we saw houses. Descending yet another sandy trough we found ourselves on more the red coloured ground and following a clear path we eventually reached the road. The route we had been following was an aboriginal route to the sea.

We now found ourselves confronted by a dual carriageway and the start of the single story houses that make up the everyday urban landscape of the Cable Beach area of Broome and we were at the opposite end of town to where we were staying. Some fancy footwork later we had negotiated a route that enabled Keith to buy a new bag to replace his red one which was beginning to tear (I think it looks like a small coffin and Is certainly big enough to lose me inside!!), find a source of water (our supplies had been fast running out following our lengthy exertions) and eventually a bus to get us back to base.

We calculated that we had walked about 8 miles. Good for Keith’s thousand mile challenge but not necessarily for my equilibrium and it is to be remembered that we did this in over 32 degree heat.

Back at the ranch, it was by now after 3.00 pm, we found that what we hadn’t been told was that our double occupancy accommodation did not cover Wednesday night. 😳 We we’re informed that we could return to it on Thursday night……. Hmmmmmmm.

There was in fact some confusion In the camp about our ongoing plan. Young Brenton had departed on Monday night (although he had joined us the next day in Matso’s for a beer which was nice) and a new factotum was due to join us on Thursday but we did not know where we were staying Thursday night. We had assumed in paying for three nights accommodation we were in our room until departure. Apparently this was not the case. We were to stay at the hostel on Thursday night (hence three days charge) but not on Wednesday. To say that Mr Gregory was not very gruntled was an understatement of some magnitude. 😖😡😤 However, it was not to be changed, so we packed up our belongings and descended to a six person dormitory……for the night. We were offered a free drink at the bar to make amends – we did not take up the offer.

Meanwhile, two of our party had been fishing. And they had caught fish. Loads of it !! So Keith made a Thai coconut curry – an excellent meal for about 10 of our part who were around in the hostel kitchen. It was very yummy!

After a luxurious lie in, we joined a few of our party for breakfast and later joined more of them at the local brewery Matso’s for an early lunch. I chose an excellent burger. Keith was delighted to find barramundi on the menu. It was great to have a meal without the chopping and chipping to prepare it! The beer was good too!

Keith and I left as we had arranged to spend the afternoon on a whale watching cruise which proved to be amazing. More about Broome later but two notable issues can be found skyward. One is aeroplanes and helicopters. The airport is in the middle of the town! From 5.30 in the morning ‘planes start landing and leaving. Most of the travellers are mining people being ‘shipped’ in and out. Interestingly the street lights in Broome are really short so as not to interfere with landing and take off…..

The other aerial attraction is the constant swooping of black kites. Wherever you are in the town they are circling overhead.

Anyway, back to the marine. We were collected by a very lively little lady in a mini bus and joined the whaling party. En route we saw a chain of camels, with their delicate gate, strolling along the road to carry off other would be tourists for a sandy camel safari at sundown. They looked very smart!

After collecting all the would be participants – who were frankly much more like our age group than our Overland chums but did not look half as much fun! – she drove us over the sand dunes and on to Cable Beach. A very exciting small craft came racing over the waves to collect us and rather surprised us by putting down wheels as it emerged from the water and drove up the beach to stop at our feet, where it promptly put its tyres away and settled down on the sand. Fascinating!

In no time we were whisked off to our vessel, a small boat with a very much appreciated roof given the strong sunshine, but no sides to mar our view of the sparkling ocean. And then came the whales. We had been travelling no more than five minutes it seemed before we came across a whale mother and her calf. The whales are hump backs on their way down to the Antarctic. They can grow up to up to 45 tons and are the 5th largest whale. After watching them for a bit we continued on out to sea, passing the rather flimsy looking lighthouse. Apparently it is built in its Meccano looking fashion to allow the typhoon type winds that batter the area in the winter to pass through the structure without demolishing it. Seems sensible but it did not look very robust to me……

Back to the water. We saw lots of whales. Their shiny bodies arching above the water

They were huge. Further off flumes of spray showed white above the waters surface in all directions. There were a lot of whales out there. It was a wonderful afternoon. The highlight was when one young calf whales flung itself totally out of the water several times. It was another magical moment.

As the sun began to slip down in the sky we turned to home and were able to watch the sun set with a beer and nibbles.

What a lovely way to spend an afternoon…….

It was dark before reached ‘home’. It was with some sadness that we learned that the excursion we had booked to fly over the horizontal waterfalls in the Kimberley had not materialised for Wednesday. It was really disappointing as they are said to be an amazing sight…. on the other hand it gives us a free day. Not a bad thing.

Having eaten at lunch plus nibbling our way through the afternoon while watching Whales, no more food was required. An early night to enjoy our room and comfortable bed..