Cold night and the bites are itchy and sore. Al and Dee gone to Broome today to the market so we are looking after Lily, their poodle, she is such a nice natured dog. After Al and Dee left we took Lily for a walk along the beach,
the rocks on the beach where the sea comes in look like jewels, and the sea has a red tinge due to the red rocks in the water.
Lovely walk. Back at site John and Sue joined us for a cuppa and a chat, before we knew it, was lunchtime. Day goes so fast. as afternoon wore on it clouded over. Lovely chatty evening Al and dee had come back with pressies for us of a picture and freshwater pearl earrings for Rose. It will be hard to say our final farewell. Went to beach to watch the sunset but not as spectacular as previous evening.
20th May Sunday
Hot and sunny with a lovely breeze, did laundry and have no energy for anything else. Cooked bacon butties for breakfast for Al and Dee and us. Too lazy to do anything, days are exhausting, finally struggled across campground and had a shower. Dee has given us 2 cakes she baked today. She is trying to set up Skype on her ipod so we can talk to each other when we get home. Early to bed as very tired.
21st May Monday
Dee is on Skype and we can now contact each other. Packed up and away by 8.30. Gave Dee Rose's purple poncho to keep her warm at night:) Our final goodbyes as they are off on a cruise and we are off to The Gibb River Rd. Left station back onto HWay to Broome, long straight roads again, but the bush is green. Very little traffic. As we get closer to Broome traffic building. Went to the library but no computer available till the afternoon so decided will upload when we get to Derby. Found shopping centre, not very impressive, just had a snack and did our small bit of shopping before finding fuel. Drove to the famouse Cable Beach,
it is 22kms long, the sea looks a beautiful blue, there are people on the beach and lifeguards, had a bite of lunch and decided to drive back to Roebuck Plains Roadhouse to camp for the night. Colin feeling weary. Nice site with swimming pool also camping on grass. Bits and pieces for dinner tonight, can't be bothered to cook. Hope not too noisy with traffic. An older couple out for a walk stopped to chat, they had seen us at De Grey Rest Area, it's like follow my leader up the road. Early to bed as getting chilly.
22nd May Tuesday
Cold night, temperature at 6.30 is 12degs, very cold for us, but the sun is out. Tried to get away early but as usual got talking to the neighbours Marilyn and Gary who are also heading to Derby tomorrow. Left site at 8.30 on Gt Northern HWay to Derby. Landscape very green and lots of trees. Stopped at Willare Roadhouse
and were given 2 big mugs of tea free so just had to have homemade Quiche to help it go down. Found a great pictorial book about the Gibb River Rd (G.R.R.) in the roadhouse shop. Continued onto Derby passing Boab trees on the way. Stopped at the Boab Prison Tree,
which was used to hold Aboriginals(it was hollow) and as entrance was narrow only needed one guard. The Boab is a deciduous tree indiginous to this area, it is a protected species and even roads are built round the trees. When at Derby picked up the LRover part from the post office and made our way to the Kimberley Entrance Caravan Pk for 3 nights($36 pn powered) ouch, but only few minutes walk to the shops and nice shady site. Went to bed early, a neighbour has his TV on outside watching the Block followed by a documentary, then later some outdoor entertainment with a DJ came wafting over, we had only said in the afternoon what a lovely quiet place.
23rd May Wednesday
Ricky's birthday. Warm night, eventually got to sleep. Colin fitting part today. Colin fitted part, tightened bolts and will finish off tomorrow with the oils. Rose walked to library after lunch to upload blog, internet very slow so only got charged $3. John and Sue have seen Colin and we will walk down later to see them. We walked round the camp trying to find them, turned out they were just across the road from us, had a great couple of hours with them and their neighbours Kev and Dot. John and Sue are leeving tomorrow so will swap phone numbers as they live in Brisbane and will be home in July. Our neighbours with the TV outside have the footie on and you can hear it from 50mtrs, then the music started with DJ up till 11pm. Rose Robyn and had a lovely chat, Colin tried Ricky and Emma but both went to voicemail.
24th May THursday
Awake early and up at 6.30, bit chilly this morning, had to put jumpers on, only 18degs. After saying goodbye to John and Sue went for a drive to the Jetty
where the tides race in and out at an alarming 10knots per hour and can rise up to 12mtrs, we saw the tide on the low side ,
when it is in it reaches the top of the jetty, it was very windy and you felt that you could be blown into the sea. Back in to the visitor centre to buy a tea towel memento for ourselves. Topped up shopping at IGA and got fresh meat cryovaced at the butchers. Colin spoke to Sir Peter and Laurie on the phone, he had also finished maintenance of the LRover, so all need tomorrow is check tyres and fuel up.
25th May Friday
FRIDAY FACT;- DERBY HAS AUSTRALIA'S HIGHEST TIDAL RANGE AND THE 2ND HIGHEST IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.
Nicky's birthday. Up early and left site 8.45, fueled up. We have heard there is a charity BMX ride starting Sunday from Broome to Kununara with several hundred bikes and their support crews heading across the G.R.R.
The G.R.R. was initially constructed to transport cattle from surrounding stations to the ports of Derby and Wyndham, it is over 700kms and travels through central Kimberley Plateau from King Sound at Derby to Cambridge Gulf in Wyndham. The road is bitumen for first 80kms then it changes to dirt and gravel. After 3kms we stopped at Mowanjum Art and Culture Centre, which features the local indiginous art. It was very different from the art we have seen previously. Back onto the G.R.R. to Wyndjana Gorge
passing very green landscape with Boab trees
in amongst others, some of the Boabs look like bottles with sticks poking out the top whilst others remind Rose of the trees in Lord Of The Rings, and seem to be waving as you pass. Windjana Gorge is 3.5kms in length and was forged by The Lennard River through an ancient Devonian Reef. The rocks are amazing and the river winds through sandy banks,
we saw crocodiles
(freshwater) basking in the sun and got to within 50mtrs of one, it was fantastic. Whilst there we bumped into Ron and Carol and also Heath who we met at Indee Station, they were on a trip out of Broome. After leaving the gorge we went back onto the G.R.R. to find our rest area for the night, couldn't find it so drove on through the King Leopold Range Conservation Pk past The Queen Victoria Rock,
amazing rock formation again. Eventually found March Fly Glen Rest Area for the night , sleeping in the LRover tonight. Nice and shady and friendly chatty fellow campers. Drove more than anticipated today and the road conditions have been pretty good, even with corrugations, gone through some water but not very deep, one crossing got windscreen wet.
No comments:
Post a Comment