Monday, December 11, 2006

Highway 1, 12 Hour Drive

After picking up our Britz 4WD with all it's gear for our trip, we hit the road early out of Broome, onto Highway 1 and a long drive ahead. Headed to Karinjini National Park as our first stop on this road trip, born for me at a backyard BBQ in Tooting, London, Tom, Dave, Belinda and I absorbed the desert landscape for many hours as the kilometers passed us by.

We arrived at our campsite on the outskirts of the National Park just before sunset, which gave us time to figure out how the rooftop tent worked, and cook up a BBQ for dinner. Beneath more stars than I have ever seen, we spent our first night here.

Up and packed up early again, we entered the Karinjini National Park and arrived at the Vistors Centre at opening time. We walked through this centre, with the Aboriginal story behind the land around us, before heading to Orer Lookout, where Karinjini's three gorges converge. Beautiful site, with the red slate, green in the trees, and blue sky above.

We made the climb down into Hancock's Gorge, for one of the most beautiful and breathtaking swims I have ever experienced. Just spectacular.

Later we drove around to the Fortescue Falls, for another swim in the lagoon at the base of the falls, before heading to make up camp before sunset again. Another BBQ, a camp visit by a green snake, who slithered through, before I night of gazing at the spectacular view of the sky and the network of stars hanging above. No light, no sounds around in this basic camp, the show was on in the sky.

Yesterday, we drove the 6 hours out of the park, with a stop at Tom Price for refueling and a long awaited bathroom stop (!!), before hitting the unsealed road out of the Kimberley area. Around 5pm we reached gorgeous Coral Bay, for a hard earned swim.

Drinks at last, after several dry days, we had a beer and dinner night at the Ningaloo Reef Resort. Today we have had a lie in, and spent the day at the beach - me baking, and the lads catching tonight's dinner!

We have been without phone coverage for these last few days, and out of contact with much of the world too....mission accomplished! Amazing!

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