Kimberley Trip continued

Friday, May 20, 2011

Today we took off for Kunanurra to get groceries and gas, and had time to shop a bit and look through a very large Aboriginal art gallery.  When we stopped to buy some beer, one of the ladies in our group saw this aborigine, named Mark, carving this boab pod and ended up buying it from him.  He was happy to pose for photos and seemed very proud of his artwork, which he carved using only a butter knife. 

Mark, with carved boab pod

Since the towns out here have such a problem with Aborigines drinking, only “lite” beer is sold before 5:00pm.  It’s only 3.5% alcohol content instead of 4.4 – 4.7%.  We stopped in Wyndam and then drove on to Digger’s Rest, a real, working outback station.  They have 100,000 acres, lots of horses and 8000 head of cattle.  

Digger's Rest

Some of our group opted to go with a couple of the drovers to see where the movie “Australia” was filmed, described as being “just out the back”.   Others went horseback riding and we and several others went with “Old Bill” on an outback walk.  Old Bill was not very talkative on the walk but as I’m writing this he’s telling tales and reciting poetry round the campfire, to a captive group.  He's been working on the ranch for over 40 years, and towards the end of our walk he kept stopping to listen.  Someone asked him what he was listening for and he said, "For the dogs barking so I can find my way back to the ranch."  We were in good hands with Old Bill.

Old Bill

As I'm writing my blog the owner is here talking about their 3 working dogs, and she says when they had 700 goats they really needed them, but now they’re down to only 60 so the dogs have become lazy and just want to sleep on the bed all day.

We drove down to another river crossing that was closed, and will probably not reopen at all this year, there is so much water still coming through.  Well, tomorrow Brekky is at 5:00am – ugh, so need to sign off now.

Ivanhoe River crossing

    

Kimberley Trip continued

Thursday, May 19, 2011

It’s going to be hot today, since it didn’t cool down much at all last night.   Doubtful it got below 70 degrees.  Went for a hike while some of the group were out on a lake cruise.  We've got some free time before we leave for our flight, so trying to get on the internet and check emails, but so far no luck with getting it to work.

Lake Argyle in the morning

Our flight over the Bungle Bungles was in an 8-seater, and lasted for 2 hours.  It was amazing to see such beautiful country, and Lake Argyle is so massive it took us 25 minutes to fly over it from end to end.  

Lake Argyle from plane

Bungle Bungles from afar

Bungles up close

from plane

The Bungle Bungles were awesome, like gigantic beehives, striped all the way around.  

We also flew over the Argyle Diamond Mine, the largest in the world.  

Argyle Diamond Mine

There were so many of us taking the flights that day that we ended up getting back later than expected, so it was already dark when we got to the campground, and we had to set up the tents in the dark.  They go up fast though so no big deal, and except for the guy in the next tent snoring like a bear, we slept well.  

There were these little green tree frogs all over, and also the cane toads, but we kept the zipper up on the tent and didn’t get any inside.

green tree frog

cane toad

Kimberley Trip continued

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Brekky was at 5:30am, so that we could get an early start on our 10-hour drive today.  Stopped for tea at a very pretty place, and a huge flock of corellas flew over.  

corellas

Another quick stop for sandwiches at lunch time and we made it to Lake Argyle just before sunset.  Had dinner in the little restaurant there and a chance to talk with Wayne, the guide, throughout dinner.  He spoke with one of the road workers today and he said they are still hoping to reopen the Gibb on the 20^th, so we are keeping our fingers crossed.   There is still 3 feet of water covering the road in spots, and our vehicle can accommodate that, but the problem is the unknown damage done to the road underneath all the water.  The crews were out today, walking through the water and tapping the road with sticks, to see how muddy it is below.  If they don’t reopen the Gibb we miss out on all the gorges and waterfalls, so everyone is hoping for the best.  All the 5 day trips were canceled, since that covered only the area that is closed, so I guess it’s a good thing we opted for the 9 day trip. 

Toward the end of the drive today, the scenery changed dramatically and began to look a lot like Arizona after a lot of rainfall. It is very green and the contrast against the red rocks is dramatic.  Wayne says all this green is very unusual, and won’t last long.  There are only 2 seasons here, the wet and the dry, and May is the beginning of the dry.

Lake Argyle at sunset

Tonight is another one of our upgraded nights in a safari tent, although this one has no bathroom, and is very basic.   But at least I got a shower and was able to wash off all the mosquito spray, would love to take a walk outside but then I’d have to put the spray on again, so I’d need another shower.  There is a new, much worse strain of the Ross River Virus, carried by mosquitoes in this area, and Bill keeps getting emails from his office, warning people that are up here doing surveys of the need to keep the mossies off.

Tomorrow the majority of the people on the tour have opted to take a small airplane flight over Lake Argyle and the Bungle Bungles, since they are still closed.   So at least we will be able to see them, although I doubt the photos will be very good.  We’ve decided to skip the optional lake tour, and go hiking instead.  Two days of sitting on the bus with no exercise is getting to us, we really want to get in a good walk tomorrow, and Wayne and several others want to go along.

Kimberley trip continued

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

At 6:30am I remember to turn my mobile phone back on to check for messages, and there is one from the tour company.   I called and was told that unfortunately the Gibb River Road is still closed, as well as the Bungle Bungles, so we have to do the trip in reverse, in the hopes that the road will reopen in a few days so we can still do a loop.  A big disappointment, but the rains this year were described as “biblical” and there’s been lots of damage to the Gibb River Road.

Our guide picks us up and including Bill and me the tour is full at 21 plus the guide. We have a long day of driving today, and we stop at this massive boab tree.  It's estimated to be 1500 years old, and the aborigines use the fruit, bark and even the roots for various things including medicine, food and drink and making twine.  

According to our guide, Wayne, certain parts of the Kimberely actually got 7-8 feet of rain in a very short period of time. So no surprise that the bridges and the road are completely washed away in several areas.   A couple of weeks ago one tour company decided on their own to drive their vehicles through the flooded areas to higher ground in the Bungle Bungles, but they caused a lot of damage to the road and so they’ve been stuck there ever since.  They had to fly the tourists out.  This is actually the first week that any trips have been allowed into the Kimberley, and the damage is extensive.

We stopped for lunch at a park, across from an aboriginal art gallery, and bought a hand-etched pod from a boab tree.  From there we drove to Geikie Gorge and took a boat down river.  Saw lots of fresh water crocs (freshies) but they’re the little guys that only get to about 9 feet long.  The local river guide said they won’t hurt you unless you step on them, so no worries.  It's the salt water crocs (salties) that you have to worry about, since they can get about twice that size, and are really aggressive.  She then said she hadn’t driven a boat in 7 years, and yesterday was her first time driving the boats here.   We all thought she was joking until she tried “parking” at the end of the trip.  Two boats were hooked together, and she managed to get the first boat docked on her very first try.  However, it took her 5 tries to dock the second boat, and it turned out she really had only driven the boat the day before for the very first time.  Said she’d been mustering camels for the past 4 years and that they were a lot easier to handle than the boats.  The whole area just opened the day before because the flooding was so bad, and the pavilion where we waited for the boat had been completely under water in March.

fresh water croc

Here’s a photo of one of the crossings that is still very much under water, we obviously could not cross here, so drove further down to a bridge crossing and then on to our campsite at Fitzroy Crossing. We opted for the upgrade so got to sleep in a safari type tent with our own loo, quite a step up.  Wayne cooked steaks, sausages and kangaroo on the barbie, and then he laid out our options for the coming days.  If they open the Bungle Bungles and the Gibb River road we’ll get to do the whole loop, just backwards.  But unless the Bungles open up tomorrow, we’ll have to drive past them and continue on to camp somewhere not on the usual itinerary at all, so it will be an adventure for the guide as well as everyone else.  If the Bungles are still closed we can take a flight over them, which would include Lake Argyle as well.   But the big hope is that the Gibb will reopen in time for us to do the loop, otherwise we miss out on all the waterfalls and gorges, which is what we came for.   

flooded river crossing

Kimberley trip

Monday, May 16, 2011

This is our long-awaited trip to the outback, where there are only 2 seasons, "the wet" and "the dry."  May traditionally heralds the beginning of the dry season, and although the far north had an incredibly wet year, we have been assured that the campgrounds are no longer under water.  

We flew to Broome to be ready for a 6:45 am pickup the next morning.  Went for a walk after checking in, down to Cable Beach.  Saw these interesting patterns on the sand, presumably made by tiny sand crabs. The designs looked like fireworks, minus the color, and we wondered if they might have been the inspiration for the aboriginal “dot” paintings.

There was this gorgeous sunset accompanied by a huge rainbow.   

Back in the room, I noticed this little plastic frog, I initially thought was a decoration near the bottom of the bathroom door.  But then I remembered how "plastic-like" the green tree frogs at work look, and when I touched the little bugger, sure enough, a real frog.   Well, we are in the tropics so shouldn’t be surprised, I guess.  

New Year's Day

Saturday, January 1, 2011

We drive out to Kanyana to see where I volunteer, for our last outing before Josh, Ai and Yumi head home.

Yumi seemed very interested in the bobtail.

Ai with a Tawny Frogmouth

Later that night it's time to head to the airport, and with everyone gone, the empty nest syndrome sets in.  We're feeling bummed and the house seems awfully empty and quiet.  Makes us feel like our decision to go home in September is definitely the right one, 2 years away is long enough.

New Year's Eve

Josh got up close and personal with a roo

Friday, December 31, 2010

Matt and Kristin left yesterday, and Josh, Ai and Yumi leave tomorrow.  We drive out to Caversham Wildlife Park, and it is incredibly hot.

Yumi seemed mesmerized by the wombat

Poor Yumi was so hot we put a wet towel on her head, making it tough to see the Koala but at least she was cooler.

That night we ride the train into Northbridge to take in the local New Year's Eve festivities; and there are lots of people out celebrating, enjoying the  bands and fireworks scheduled for midnight, but we're tired and are back on the train by 10:30pm.