We arrived in Denham after a long drive from Coral Bay, on route we had stopped for Lunch with some of the other guys in Carnarvon. Carnarvon seemed to be a very purposeful town with the fruit plantations being the main employers in the area. Suzie had tried to do some fruit picking the day before and found it hard work and very unrewarding as the farmer wanted to pay cash in hand which would mess up her employment terms on her working visa.
Denham was a small and laid back town with a couple of fishing boats just off shore and fish filleting stations along the shore for the fishermen to work their magic on their catch. This was a good place to base ourselves for the next couple of days for our visits to Monkey Mia and Francois National Park. The town has a couple of restaurants but we plumped for the Old Pearler Restaurant which was built from bricks made of seashells. The food was good as was the company and we settled in for some beers when we got back, with some of the other guys in the dorm. We met some Ozzies, and Dieter and Wendy from Belgium. Everyone was a good laugh and we had a great couple of days in the dorm.
Monkey Mia was an exciting little adventure as we headed to see the dolphins. The dolphins were very friendly and came close enough that a couple of chosen individuals could feed the dolphins some fish. We couldn't wade into the water however as one of the dolphins had a new born and they can be defensive of newborns (I suspect must Mums would be!!). On the last feed there were just 4 people near me and I reckoned that we could have all fed the dolphins as each dolphin is fed 5 fish. The first person decided to completely ignore the instructions of the guide and pat the dolphin on the head. The dolphins sonar sensors are in the top of its head. So it was equivalent of hitting someone over the back of head with a spade and pretty much left the dolphin looking like he had had 10 pints of Stella followed by 10 whiskey chasers. Needless to say the dolphin didn't fancy much more fun with the overly "friendly" humans for the day!!! After lunch we jumped on a boat with the Belgium dorm mates and went for a cruise on a very cool catamarann. On this trip we managed to see some dugongs ( http://www.reelearth.org.nz/modules/content/images/image/87_dugong.jpg ). These are an endangered specie and so I was honoured to see these amazing creatures in the wild. The boat followed these around and when they were not spotting wildlife I lay on the web netting just above the water between the hulls and chilled!!!
Francois Peron National park was a tour we did in a 4x4 as it was pretty inaccessible. We had a great time and visited some good spots looking down on the coast. From there we were able to spot Manta Rays, a couple of sharks, loads of turtles, and a lot of it maybes which were very much like the murky shadows seen in Coral Bay!!! At the Peron homestead (local farm) we learnt the original homestead had been in the local town, but was moved as the sheepshearers were more keen on beer than shearing sheep. The morning would start with a full compliment of shearers ( http://blog.umbro.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Alan-Shearer-Red-Celebration.jpg ), and at each morning/afternoon break and lunchtime they would steadily loose the crew, and at the end of the day be lucky to have anyone working. After 10 years of trying to contain the drinking the answer was to move the farm!!!!!!
Off to Kalbarri tomorrow as we start the final run in to Perth, so will be looking forward to being company to a couple of backpacks, cool bags and food bags in the back of the car for the next two days!!
Monday 29 November 2010
11-17th November, Coral Bay
Diana, Armin and I arrived in Coral Bay after pretty much a mornings driving from Exmouth. On route out of Exmouth we went to the local prawn trader, and took some photos of a 12foot prawn attacking us, and other silly scenarios involving a 12 foot prawn.
Coral Bay has a population of 190 so the town pretty much consists of one street on which lies a hostel, a couple of camp sites, a petrol station and small quick-e mart, and a small mall consisting of about 5 shops. There was of course a bar which I thought we would become well acquainted (I was proven correct over the next couple of days).
Coral Bay is probably best known on the tourist circuit for the coral reef around it and the shark nursery.
A couple of days Armin and I headed down to the shark nursery and was greeted with a couple of shadows moving up and down the beach in the sea. Unfortunately there was a distinct lack of fins and Jaws music to accompany the shadows that were trying to look as murky and un-shark like as possible.
Fortunately this was a very minor fly in the ointment which was Coral Bay. The beach was beautiful and I spent a large amount of time lost in a number of Clive Cussler books whilst I topped up my suncream to ensure I remain the nice pale white everyone knows me for!!!! Sometimes the suncream made me even more pale than I had started off. Whilst cooling off in the sea I managed to spy a sting ray and followed it (at a safeish distance).
Some of the divers had managed to meet some new friends and over the next couple of days we got to meet some new friends, Mark and Mandy were on holiday from the channel bays and became good drinking buddies over the next couple of days!! We also met Chris who managed to get the girls into a little groups of gossip girls!!! I also met Christi from Canada who rapidly integrated into our little band of brothers. I was also complimented by Sheherazade as being a typical gentleman (as the Irish guy she had been chatting to 5 mins before had been making lewd comments might have helped with this compliment!!). I also ran into Sandra who had been in our dorm at Broome and was heading down the coast as a tour guide - managing to embarrass myself by not recognising her initially (taxi for Hearty???)
Perhaps one of the best discoveries in Coral was the bakery (recommended rightly so in Lonely Planet and Rough guide) where a staple lunch diet of Curry Pie followed by Apple and Custard pie was strictly followed. This also led to the consequence of making sure I did try and maintain a healthy regime of eating out and social drinking in the evenings!!!
Well after such hard work and backbreaking health regimes I have decided that it was too much and we are going to head to Monkey Mia to visit the dolphins!!!
Coral Bay has a population of 190 so the town pretty much consists of one street on which lies a hostel, a couple of camp sites, a petrol station and small quick-e mart, and a small mall consisting of about 5 shops. There was of course a bar which I thought we would become well acquainted (I was proven correct over the next couple of days).
Coral Bay is probably best known on the tourist circuit for the coral reef around it and the shark nursery.
A couple of days Armin and I headed down to the shark nursery and was greeted with a couple of shadows moving up and down the beach in the sea. Unfortunately there was a distinct lack of fins and Jaws music to accompany the shadows that were trying to look as murky and un-shark like as possible.
Fortunately this was a very minor fly in the ointment which was Coral Bay. The beach was beautiful and I spent a large amount of time lost in a number of Clive Cussler books whilst I topped up my suncream to ensure I remain the nice pale white everyone knows me for!!!! Sometimes the suncream made me even more pale than I had started off. Whilst cooling off in the sea I managed to spy a sting ray and followed it (at a safeish distance).
Some of the divers had managed to meet some new friends and over the next couple of days we got to meet some new friends, Mark and Mandy were on holiday from the channel bays and became good drinking buddies over the next couple of days!! We also met Chris who managed to get the girls into a little groups of gossip girls!!! I also met Christi from Canada who rapidly integrated into our little band of brothers. I was also complimented by Sheherazade as being a typical gentleman (as the Irish guy she had been chatting to 5 mins before had been making lewd comments might have helped with this compliment!!). I also ran into Sandra who had been in our dorm at Broome and was heading down the coast as a tour guide - managing to embarrass myself by not recognising her initially (taxi for Hearty???)
Perhaps one of the best discoveries in Coral was the bakery (recommended rightly so in Lonely Planet and Rough guide) where a staple lunch diet of Curry Pie followed by Apple and Custard pie was strictly followed. This also led to the consequence of making sure I did try and maintain a healthy regime of eating out and social drinking in the evenings!!!
Well after such hard work and backbreaking health regimes I have decided that it was too much and we are going to head to Monkey Mia to visit the dolphins!!!
Tuesday 23 November 2010
3-10th November Exmouth
Arrived in Exmouth (not the one in uk but the one in Oz). It was an interesting little town with a population of 2500. I arrived there at 1am on the greyhound bus after travelling from Broome for a full 13 hours.
Suzie, Cal and I had arrived on the bus and met Dianna and Armin whohad driven there earlier.
Unfortunately due to the days travel I missed the Melbourne cup - its the horse racing event of the year in Oz and probably stops the country as much as the National does in the UK. We stopped at a couple of roadstations on route and theladies behind the counters were dressed for the events with hats and dresses.
Exploring Exmouth I found that you were just as often likely to see an emu on the pavement as much as a pedestrian.
The town is also the gateway to NigalooMarine park, with snorkling and diving to match (some say beat) the Great Barrier reef. In my inifinte wisdom I have lost my PADI certificate so diving was not really an option so snorkling was the best way to get in and see the corals and fish. I went and stopped off at the Oyster stacks where there was some beautiful corals to snorkel around (and try to cut yourself on). This was also where I saw a moray eel (kindly pointed out by Cal). I also had an amazing experience as a school of giant snapper went either side of me and I must have been surrounded by 80-90 of them. This was fantastic but then realised if something was going to take a bite of the fish it would probably go for the big slow one in the middle!!!!!!
Just down the coast from the oyster stacks was Turquoise Bay and it really did live up to its name, and so I had a quick paddle and soaked up the beauty of the area. I also soaked up a bit too much sun where I had not covered myself properly. I was then left with a beautiful red patchy mark with white handprints where I had covered. Nice.
Dianna, Suzie and I also decided to venture to the Karijini national park. We found a number of gorges that were impressive and beautiful. I had a nice morning swim in a cool pool beneath a waterfall. This was a great start to a day and we went further on to another waterfall. The heat however was sweltering and it appears that the planets population of flys had decided to mass on the Karijini whilst we were there. Di was the driver and was shattered after driving on unsurfaced (bumpy as hell) roads, but she did a great job and didnt moan. After two nights (the twogirls were squeezed into one tent, I had the luxury of one) we decided to head back to Exmouth for the night and then on to Coral Bay. I really think we had been spoiled after seeing the Kimberleys as the gorges were equal to the Kimberleys and so it seemed both Karijini and the Kimberleys mix into one. Off to Coral Bay tomorrow. It has a population of 190 - I bet they have to have abouts 10 jobs each to keep the town going!!!!!
Suzie, Cal and I had arrived on the bus and met Dianna and Armin whohad driven there earlier.
Unfortunately due to the days travel I missed the Melbourne cup - its the horse racing event of the year in Oz and probably stops the country as much as the National does in the UK. We stopped at a couple of roadstations on route and theladies behind the counters were dressed for the events with hats and dresses.
Exploring Exmouth I found that you were just as often likely to see an emu on the pavement as much as a pedestrian.
The town is also the gateway to NigalooMarine park, with snorkling and diving to match (some say beat) the Great Barrier reef. In my inifinte wisdom I have lost my PADI certificate so diving was not really an option so snorkling was the best way to get in and see the corals and fish. I went and stopped off at the Oyster stacks where there was some beautiful corals to snorkel around (and try to cut yourself on). This was also where I saw a moray eel (kindly pointed out by Cal). I also had an amazing experience as a school of giant snapper went either side of me and I must have been surrounded by 80-90 of them. This was fantastic but then realised if something was going to take a bite of the fish it would probably go for the big slow one in the middle!!!!!!
Just down the coast from the oyster stacks was Turquoise Bay and it really did live up to its name, and so I had a quick paddle and soaked up the beauty of the area. I also soaked up a bit too much sun where I had not covered myself properly. I was then left with a beautiful red patchy mark with white handprints where I had covered. Nice.
Dianna, Suzie and I also decided to venture to the Karijini national park. We found a number of gorges that were impressive and beautiful. I had a nice morning swim in a cool pool beneath a waterfall. This was a great start to a day and we went further on to another waterfall. The heat however was sweltering and it appears that the planets population of flys had decided to mass on the Karijini whilst we were there. Di was the driver and was shattered after driving on unsurfaced (bumpy as hell) roads, but she did a great job and didnt moan. After two nights (the twogirls were squeezed into one tent, I had the luxury of one) we decided to head back to Exmouth for the night and then on to Coral Bay. I really think we had been spoiled after seeing the Kimberleys as the gorges were equal to the Kimberleys and so it seemed both Karijini and the Kimberleys mix into one. Off to Coral Bay tomorrow. It has a population of 190 - I bet they have to have abouts 10 jobs each to keep the town going!!!!!
Tuesday 9 November 2010
1st - 3rd November - Cape Leveque
A couple of the group were getting itchy feet and wanted to explore a bit more of the wilderness. Cally, Suzie and I have rented a 4x4 to go to Cape Leveque. We have been warned that the roads were difficult for a "normal" car so decided to press on with a 4x4. Setting off at a reasonable time we headed the short distance to where the surfaced road ends and the roads becomes an unsurfaced road and becomes a bit more difficult to pass. Along the route we did see a couple of cars that had been abandoned and so I felt a bit happier with our choice of vehicle. We pushed on and found ourselves a camp site at middle lagoon. This was a beautiful cove and the camp site overlooked it. The beach had soft white sand and the sea was warm. I spent a bit of time messing around in the sea, before we went back to camp and set up a camp fire. We returned and watched the sun go down before cooking up tea on the camp fire.
The following day we headed north to the peak of Cape Leveque and to a pearl farm. Cygnet Bay was the first Australian owned pearl farm. We had a tour and learnt more about how the process was manufactured. At the end of the tour we were shown different pearls, and I managed to handle a $50,000 pearl necklace!!!
After that we headed to our next camp site and this was a more upmarket camp site. Free wood to set up a fire, a BBQ station - and most importantly a shop selling ice creams as the weather was sweltering. We settled in and Cal and I went to watch the sunset as Suzie had come down with a bug. We made a nice meal for tea and settled in for bed. The night was exciting as thunder clouds were in the distance and I was worried that a storm was heading in.
I awoke the following morning to find that the storm had decided that someone else was having a nicer camping holiday and fortunately wanted to gatecrash their gig.
We headed back to Broome with a bit of adventure a rain cloud had decided to rain on the unsurfaced road. Fortunately for us the designated driver, Suzie, is a farmers daughter and managed to control a skid after a bit of a hairy moment. I cant help thinking it was fun - when really I should have been more concerned about my safety..
We finished the day with a beer on cable beach back in Broome, and fish and chips supper. Nice.
The following day we headed north to the peak of Cape Leveque and to a pearl farm. Cygnet Bay was the first Australian owned pearl farm. We had a tour and learnt more about how the process was manufactured. At the end of the tour we were shown different pearls, and I managed to handle a $50,000 pearl necklace!!!
After that we headed to our next camp site and this was a more upmarket camp site. Free wood to set up a fire, a BBQ station - and most importantly a shop selling ice creams as the weather was sweltering. We settled in and Cal and I went to watch the sunset as Suzie had come down with a bug. We made a nice meal for tea and settled in for bed. The night was exciting as thunder clouds were in the distance and I was worried that a storm was heading in.
I awoke the following morning to find that the storm had decided that someone else was having a nicer camping holiday and fortunately wanted to gatecrash their gig.
We headed back to Broome with a bit of adventure a rain cloud had decided to rain on the unsurfaced road. Fortunately for us the designated driver, Suzie, is a farmers daughter and managed to control a skid after a bit of a hairy moment. I cant help thinking it was fun - when really I should have been more concerned about my safety..
We finished the day with a beer on cable beach back in Broome, and fish and chips supper. Nice.
Thursday 4 November 2010
24th - 30th October - Broome
After the adventures of the Kimberleys checking into a 12 bed dorm seemed like a bit of luxury! Broome is a very small town and seems to be the gateway to the Kimberleys. It also has a beautiful beach called Cable beach named after the telegraph cable laid between Oz and Java in 1889 which I planned to visit in the first couple of days there - unfortunately a saltwater croc had the same idea and the authorities decided to warn people from bathing there for a couple of days. The tour group have become a real unit and on the second night there we decided to have a picnic on the beach and hope the saltie wouldn't gatecrash the party.
After the first couple of days I moved from the YHA hostel I was at as it seemed more like party central or a workers doss for the travellers who were working there and head to the hostel where most of the others in teh group were. Beaches is new hostel with a great chilled atmosphere and facilities are more like a hotel than hostel.
Broome is a funny place as they have a 95 year old open air cinema which is quite impressive and so we took in a movie one night. This was a real comedy moment as in this historic site settled in with popcorn and coke, watching trailer for upcoming movies came a real 3D experience. A large jet flew over at no more than 100m up above us. This is the other strange thing in Broome. The airport is slap bang in the centre. So planes coming in give a birds eye view of the town, and passengers can probably work out whats on at the cinema, and where the local chippy is.
I also discovered another fantastic place to chill in Broome - Matsos. This is a small brewery which is now sending beer all over the country (sounds like the Coniston brewery), and further. On three seperate occasions a couple of dedided to head to the Broome museum and for one reason or another got side tracked heading to Matsos. I blame the heat!!!
I was starting to feel that life was getting to luxurious again so have decided to head out with Suzie and Cally to Cape Leveque for a bit of outdoors camping and 4x4 fun and games. We have rented a 4x4 and have some plans to see some more beauty spots on the coast. Iam not sure if it is the sites I want to see or that I cant used to the luxury of a mattress again!!! I guess I will have time to work that one out on the drive up.
After the first couple of days I moved from the YHA hostel I was at as it seemed more like party central or a workers doss for the travellers who were working there and head to the hostel where most of the others in teh group were. Beaches is new hostel with a great chilled atmosphere and facilities are more like a hotel than hostel.
Broome is a funny place as they have a 95 year old open air cinema which is quite impressive and so we took in a movie one night. This was a real comedy moment as in this historic site settled in with popcorn and coke, watching trailer for upcoming movies came a real 3D experience. A large jet flew over at no more than 100m up above us. This is the other strange thing in Broome. The airport is slap bang in the centre. So planes coming in give a birds eye view of the town, and passengers can probably work out whats on at the cinema, and where the local chippy is.
I also discovered another fantastic place to chill in Broome - Matsos. This is a small brewery which is now sending beer all over the country (sounds like the Coniston brewery), and further. On three seperate occasions a couple of dedided to head to the Broome museum and for one reason or another got side tracked heading to Matsos. I blame the heat!!!
I was starting to feel that life was getting to luxurious again so have decided to head out with Suzie and Cally to Cape Leveque for a bit of outdoors camping and 4x4 fun and games. We have rented a 4x4 and have some plans to see some more beauty spots on the coast. Iam not sure if it is the sites I want to see or that I cant used to the luxury of a mattress again!!! I guess I will have time to work that one out on the drive up.
15th - 23rd October - Kimberleys
I have decided to take a tour of the Kimberleys as it is a baragin basement tour. It was reduced from $1650 to $1000, and is done by 4x4 into the Kimberleys. Apparently if you want to get into the Kimberleys you need to do it this way otherwise you dont get to see half the great things out there. It was pretty much all inclusive of food, swags (sleepings bags), and a guide who can tell you which spots to swim in without being eaten by crocs!!!
I started at 6am and knew it was going to be a massive trip as the Kimberleys are bigger than Germany and the first day was going to be a long drive from Darwin - about 1000km. The group seem like a great bunch with 3 Germans (Gurda, Diana and Armin), 2 Brits (Cally and Suzie), and an Israeli, Shy. I decided against making any jokes about Shys name as she used to be in Israeli intelligence and was actually doing some field ops, need to know etc... We spent the first day driving and getting to know each other - which also involved giving Suzie a full update on the last series of Dr Who and what the new Doctor had been like since taking over from David Tennant. Fortunately we had a couple of stops and were able to have a small dip in the Katherine Hot springs.
Cam was our Ozzie tour guide, and driver, and chef... well generally everything. He seemed to know what he was doing in the bush and we all mucked in with setting up camp. The first camp site was a fantastic place overlooking a river. The site was actually on a croc farm, and the river was full of salties (saltwater crocodiles). We were advised against going near the water in case the crocs fancied us for take away! We have been advised to expect some changing weather as it was the wet season and so storms might be part of the trip.
Day 2 saw us head to Lake Argyle and taking a fantastic boat trip, dipping in the water, drinking beer and generally messing about. I managed to watch the sunset floating in the lake with a cold beer - fantastic.. Before we set up camp Cam decided to do his Crocodile hunting experience and dived in the lake and caught a freshwater croc (these are OK to humans assuming you dont annoy them). He got it on board and I had a hold of the Croc. I woke the following morning in my swag on the edge of an island beach to watch the sunrise over the Lake. Quite stunning.
We headed from there to the Bungle Bungles ( http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Oceania/Australia/photo155084.htm ). The Bungles were formed up as almost a ripple effect when the Australia landmass was formed and so the rock rises up. The strange dark lines are actualy bacteria which forms on the rock. We had a good nosey around the Bungles, and was impressed with Cathedral gorge.
The next 4 days we travelled along the Gibb River road in a leisurely fashion. Stopping at different waterfalls, and gorges and enjoying swims, quite often with freshwater crocs as our neighbours!!
We finally ended up at Windjana gorge which is an ancient coral reef, now inland and completely exposed. In the formation there is a long cave which we ventured into 750m of dark tunnel with headtorches and a bit of intrepidation. There were bats and freshies to keep us company though so I think we were happy. Finally we arrived in Broome.
I really enjoyed the trip and sleeping under the stars was a real treat, living off a camp fire was fun and Cam managed to even pull off a couple of cracking meals, including a lamb roast, which on a camp fire is no mean feat. However after getting bitten to bits by mosies I was glad of a bit of pampering and laziness in Broome..
I started at 6am and knew it was going to be a massive trip as the Kimberleys are bigger than Germany and the first day was going to be a long drive from Darwin - about 1000km. The group seem like a great bunch with 3 Germans (Gurda, Diana and Armin), 2 Brits (Cally and Suzie), and an Israeli, Shy. I decided against making any jokes about Shys name as she used to be in Israeli intelligence and was actually doing some field ops, need to know etc... We spent the first day driving and getting to know each other - which also involved giving Suzie a full update on the last series of Dr Who and what the new Doctor had been like since taking over from David Tennant. Fortunately we had a couple of stops and were able to have a small dip in the Katherine Hot springs.
Cam was our Ozzie tour guide, and driver, and chef... well generally everything. He seemed to know what he was doing in the bush and we all mucked in with setting up camp. The first camp site was a fantastic place overlooking a river. The site was actually on a croc farm, and the river was full of salties (saltwater crocodiles). We were advised against going near the water in case the crocs fancied us for take away! We have been advised to expect some changing weather as it was the wet season and so storms might be part of the trip.
Day 2 saw us head to Lake Argyle and taking a fantastic boat trip, dipping in the water, drinking beer and generally messing about. I managed to watch the sunset floating in the lake with a cold beer - fantastic.. Before we set up camp Cam decided to do his Crocodile hunting experience and dived in the lake and caught a freshwater croc (these are OK to humans assuming you dont annoy them). He got it on board and I had a hold of the Croc. I woke the following morning in my swag on the edge of an island beach to watch the sunrise over the Lake. Quite stunning.
We headed from there to the Bungle Bungles ( http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Oceania/Australia/photo155084.htm ). The Bungles were formed up as almost a ripple effect when the Australia landmass was formed and so the rock rises up. The strange dark lines are actualy bacteria which forms on the rock. We had a good nosey around the Bungles, and was impressed with Cathedral gorge.
The next 4 days we travelled along the Gibb River road in a leisurely fashion. Stopping at different waterfalls, and gorges and enjoying swims, quite often with freshwater crocs as our neighbours!!
We finally ended up at Windjana gorge which is an ancient coral reef, now inland and completely exposed. In the formation there is a long cave which we ventured into 750m of dark tunnel with headtorches and a bit of intrepidation. There were bats and freshies to keep us company though so I think we were happy. Finally we arrived in Broome.
I really enjoyed the trip and sleeping under the stars was a real treat, living off a camp fire was fun and Cam managed to even pull off a couple of cracking meals, including a lamb roast, which on a camp fire is no mean feat. However after getting bitten to bits by mosies I was glad of a bit of pampering and laziness in Broome..
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