girl's best friend

On the return flight we passed over the Argyle diamond mine, the world's largest supplier of diamonds producing approximately 30 million carats per year- one quarter of the world's annual production. Mining has been continuous since 1983.

From trek phase 3

bungle bungles

In the 1980's my main point of reference about all things Australian was Neighbours, and I clearly remember Helen ( Scot's grandmother ) grabbing an opportunity to go to the Bungle Bungles to paint watercolours of the area. I had no idea what they were, or where they were, but the name stuck in the recesses of my mind.

Situated in Purnululu National Park, the Bungle Bungle Range is a series of spectacular beehive-like sandstone domes. Europeans first arrived in the region in the late nineteenth century, but apart from a bit of gold prospecting and some cattle farming the ranges were pretty much unexplored and undocumented. A documentary about the region in 1983 put the area into the spotlight, and a National park was established in 1987 ( I am pretty sure that was when it featured on Neighbours) and in 2003 it was declared a World Heritage area.

The area is a maze of striped domes, many 250 metres high, and the colours of the rock and the surrounding fan palms are quite stunning.

It was with some trepidation that we arrived at the airport at 6 am, but the lovely Alligator Airways pilot seemed to know how to fly a plane and the 1 hour trip to the bungles was smooth and enjoyable.

We flew over Lake Argyle, the largest man made lake in Australia, created by damming the River Ord in 1971. It is 54 times larger than Sydney harbour, and boats sailing on it have to have a seafaring licence. It provides irrigation to the Ord basin and hydroelectric power to all the surrounding towns.

From trek phase 3

From trek phase 3

We managed to choose the hottest day of the dry season to date with the temperature exceeding 40 degrees so walking several kilometres around the rocks, through chasms and into gorges was a challenge.Fortunately we started very early but by mid afternoon we were all flagging. The tourist season is winding down at the top end as it is now too hot to do anything.

From trek phase 3

From trek phase 3

From trek phase 3

From trek phase 3

From trek phase 3

From trek phase 3

From trek phase 3

flights of fancy

The Kimberley Ranges and the Bungle Bungles are only accessible by serious 4WD vehicles or plane, so we booked a couple of flights to get a better look. We are getting pretty fearless about these trips and all was well until we met our first pilot, a diminutive kiwi girl who made Ness look large.

She was obviously fairly inexperienced, and too short to see over the cockpit dashboard- I think a booster cushion would have been a useful addition. Her constant use of maps and comments about not having done this trip before made my stomach start to churn even before we started to hit the thermals and were buffeted around alarmingly.

The route took us over the River Ord and north to the coast before crossing the Mitchell plateau and Mitchell Falls, with a lunch stop at a remote cattle station. The coastline was impressive but our pictures were somewhat blurred due to a combination of turbulence, wobbly plane handling and severe handshake!

From trek phase 3

Mitchell Falls were inspiring even in the dry season with minimal water flowing. The roads in are closed in the wet season, and flying is also hazardous, so not many people get to see them in full flow.

From trek phase 3

King George Falls complete with luxury yacht and helipad.

From trek phase 3

It was a relief to get back onto solid ground, and we were both extremely disappointed by the whole day.

brief update

This is a brief update as we have been travelling west at great speed and internet access has been sporadic. The temperature has exceeded 40 degrees for the past few days, so ourselves, the dog, and Geoffrey ( the Winnebago finally has a name) are melting.

As we drive we hear thwack, thump, crash as Winnebago components melt and drop to the ground. The toilet roll holder died a death a few days ago, and the adhesive holding the hooks for our mugs and assorted crockery has raised the white flag. The fridge has shed several components and I suspect that the bed mattresses are several inches thinner.

The plan is to head south along the coast road to Perth while Geoffrey is still semi-intact.

The Bungle Bungles and East Kimberley were phenomenal, and pics are still being processed. Toad-busting did not happen unfortunately, as we felt that we had to move on.

James dog had a good 2 days with the lovely Wendy who volunteered as a dog-sitter, and the bite wounds in her right ear are responding well to antibiotics ( Wendy was not to blame, james dog had a minor altercation with her friend's dog over a kitchen full of food).

We should be in Broome tomorrow, and blogging parameters may be favourable ie we will have reliable internet connection, our pics will have been uploaded, there will be time to blog, and I will be sober.

on to western australia

We have crossed another border and are now in WA- this time we managed to eat all our fruit and vegetables and only had a peeled onion and a jar of honey confiscated, although they did search all our lockers for cane toads ( none found).

Last night where we camped we met four lads in a clapped out old van who were distraught at discovering the fruit and vegetable quarantine regulations, and proceeded to consume over $130 worth of fresh provisions they had just purchased as their next week's rations.

We are trying to sort out a few trips from Kununurra to the Kimberleys and the Bungle Bungles ( if only because of the great name), so we are hoping the nice lady we met yesterday who fell in love with james dog really meant her offer to dog sit for a few days. She is a volunteer 'toadbuster' and I am hoping to enlist for a weekend catching cane toads. Ness the batrachophobic kiwi has declined the offer to join in the fun.

From trek phase 3

kakadu and litchfield

From trek phase 3

We reluctantly left Cobourg and returned to Kakadu to spend 2 more days exploring.

Cahill's crossing was rather wetter when we returned across the Arnhem Land border.

From trek phase 3

It was getting hotter and hotter, and very frustrating being surrounded by cool clear water and be unable to risk swimming due to the crocs.

From trek phase 3

So, we went to Litchfield National Park to the west of Kakadu where the biggest attractions are a large number of waterfalls, creeks and plunges pools which are crocodile free ( allegedly). The pleasure of doing a couple of days walking where you can leap into gorgeous cool water to your heart's content was joyful.

From trek phase 3

From trek phase 3

From trek phase 3

We left Litchfield after 2 days of walking and swimming and went north back to Darwin to collect James dog from her pet resort and she seems in good form. We spent last night catching up with Alan at his wonderful house in a tropical garden setting where we drank to excess and today we are back in Katherine and all set to head west to WA.

arnhem land continued

So we arrived at base camp adeptly chauffeured along the corrugated dirt roads by the lovely Alan ( 'just because I like flowers doesn't mean I am gay'). His knowledge of the native flora and fauna was widespread, and he knew a lot about termite mounds as well.



Those Toyota Land Cruisers really can handle the terrain well, and we chose to ignore Al's tales of driving into trees and jack-knifing the trailer on past tours.



Camp was basic but comfortable, and we learned a great deal about crocodiles, bush craft and bush tucker from Brendan, including how to suck red wine through a Tim Tam ( a chocolate coated cream biscuit similar to a Penguin) by biting off the opposing corners. Essential for survival in these harsh environs.

From trek phase 3

From trek phase 3

Vanessa managed several dips in the ocean while the more sensible members of the group looked out for crocs and I cursed the cancellation of our cross-life insurance policies. She also captained the boat and managed not to run us aground on a reef, and caught a large golden trevelly and 2 small sharks from the rocks using a hand line baited with mackerel.

No pics available because I was asleep in our tent, and Jo on croc watch at the top of the cliff had dozed off in her hammock so Ness's screams of 'get a camera, I have caught a fish' went unheard. Just as well she was not yelling ' Save me I am being eaten by a crocodile' I suppose.

From trek phase 3