my holiday ... coughgloatingcough
Gods it feels like forever, but finally I get a chance to update the ol' LJ. For those who forgot, or didn't care to pay attention when I said it the first time, I've just come back from 24 days away, touring Broome & the Kimberly (which ARE in WA) and Darwin (and yes, I know, it's in the NT, not WA as I said previously, sheesh, nit-picky buggers) with my 76 year old Nanna.
Believe it or not, I had a great time dragging the old girl around after me, and after all, she was the one who asked me to go with her. So, instead of writing another really long entry, I thought I'd just cut and paste the bulk-email I sent everyone the day after we arrived in Darwin. It's still going to be a long entry, it's just that I'm not going to have to write it again, and no, I'm not going to LJ cut it, bad luck :))
So, here goes...
Hi everyone!
Rest assured that this is the first time I've thought about any of you since leaving little old freezing cold Adelaide :)) ...well, almost, I'm not that self centred I hope :P
So here's the run down, in one fell sweep, so I won't have to repeat myself too many times. (oops, there I go again, being all selfish). Actually, I'll probably WANT to rave about it when I get home, so this way you can say " yeah yeah, we already know".
so...
We took off from Adelaide Airport in a Boeing 747 at 9.30, as scheduled, and I had a very good window seat :). Got to Alice Springs around noon, and waited there for 45 minutes or so, then onto a much smaller plane to Broome. I got a window seat again, but most of what I could see was the engines and wing. Oh well, I could still see pretty well, and when we finally got over Robuck Bay and Cable Beach....Oh My God... it was SO beautiful. Robuck bay was all silted up, because of the mud flats, but when we passed over that to Cable Beach and you could see sand bars and NO SEAWEED for miles and miles, it was just gorgeous. We were worried that we might miss the 1/2 day tour of Broome we had booked, but our flight was right on time, and so we met our tour giude and jumped straight on, whilst our bags were taken to our accomodation.
We saw all the sights of Broome (which really did only take 5 hours) including the Sun Theatre, Pearl Luggers, Gantheaume Point, and all the pubs and shopping centres of Broome (most important...hmm) and ended up at Cable Beach for Champagne and Nibble on the beach, watching sunset in style. What a way to start our holidays, eh?
Next day we caught a bus into Broome town and walked around a bit, shopping, sorting out tours and the sunset camel ride. So bummed around Broome until about 3.30pm and caught the bus back to Cable Beach and waited around for the camels. That was SO cool, riding through the dunes and coming onto the beach as the sun was getting ready to set. Another way you have to see the Broome sunset, undeed!
We were going on the 2 day tour out to Geiki Gorge the next day, which meant being picked up outside the hotel at 7am... which of course, meant getting up at 5.30.
I might add here that 5.30am was sunrise, and by golly, we saw an awful lot of sunrises as well as sunsets!
So we head off on our tour with 2 Danish guys (20 & 21 yeatr olds) So Nanna was a bit out of here element I think. I was shocked, that's for sure, I thought everyone was going to be an old fart, but not on this trip, obviously. Still, they kept to themselves, which was weird, considering there was only 4 tourists.
We saw Geiki Gorge that arvo, and took a boat cruise up the gorge, which was beautiful, and I saw my first ever wild croc...even though it was only a freshy. Our accom. that night was a "safari tent" which is a canvas tent with a cement floor, and an ensuite inside. :)) THAT'S how camping should be done!
We actually had 2 guides, because one was in training, so we got very well looked after, the food was brilliant, and plentiful...breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner.
Next day we saw Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek. Tunnel Creek was my fav. bit because it was an enourmous cave that was really easy to get though, and I took almost a complete roll of film in there. Windjana Gorge was good too, because our guide was a croc nutter, and huge Steve Urwin fan, so everytime a croc was sunning himself he'd see how close he could get to it, and then tried to get me close to it too, for Nanna to take a photo. :)) we didn't get one though!
I'm going to have to write this quicker, so I'll ease up on the details now....just ask me later.
Next day we spent lying around the pool at the resort and went to see "Guess Who" at the Sun Theatre. It was a funny film, but even funnier was the fact that about 6 aeroplanes came in to land DIRECTLY over the outdoor screen during the movie:))
Up again at 5.30am to get on our Kimberley 11 day tour. We were a bit disappointed at the condition of the "bus" which was really a truck with a comfy seat seation bolted to the back... you'll see it in the photo's I'm sure. But the comfy seat we were left with that day were such a squeeze, I couldn't put my legs in front of me, so we moved into the front cab, just behind out guide, Carl, which was heaps better for leg room, but, funnily enough, just like sitting in the back seat of a truck.
So we got to Windjana Gorge to set up camp around 2pm. That's when we realised we didn't have either swags or tall touring tents, but little pup tents that were apparently 2 man tents. Nanna was very annoyed, and I was a bit shocked, considering I was SO looking forward to sleeping in a swag, so I said I'd sleep under a tarp that night (as a few others did), so nanna could have the tent to herself. Then we went and did Tunnel Creek again, much to my delight, and came back for some very yummy grub and fell asleep around 9pm. It was very cool to wake up every few hours and see the Milky Way moving across the sky, as well as the other million stars out there. I'm well and truely sold...I'm buying a swag as soon as I get home!
Next day we went through Imantji, where our guide used to work. Basically it's a roadhouse with a mechanic workshop, and Aborginal community and a safari permanent camp.Carl was one of the mechanics there for a year. We stopped for lunch at Galvin's Gorge, which has the most beautiful little waterfall, swing rope and swimming hole, so had a nice swim there before getting back on the bus. We stayed at Mt Barnett that night, which has a beautiful swimming hole, and SHOWERS.
Next morning we walked out to Manning Falls, which was a hard walk in the heat (it's been about 33 deg's every day) but with a fantastic waterfall at the end, which some of us proceeded to jump off at varying heights. very cool fun! Nanna was a real trooper, but it took it out of her, and for the rest of the day she was wrecked. From there we drove out to King Edward River, through Drysdale River (which had a pub that we stopped at while Carl filled up the bus, and called to book our flights over Mitchell Falls). Whilst at Drysdale river we managed to borrow a tent from the station owners for Nanna that she could stand up in, because she was having real trouble with the lowness of their tents. Carl was doing a return journey straight after this one, so he said he'd drop it back in a weeks time or so. As you can imagine, Nanna was stoked. So, whilst listening to John Williams...twice... we drove the remaining 100 km's at 50km's an hour, because the dirt roads were so rough. Apparently they were the best they've been in years, sheesh! Set up camp at King Edward River... again, another beautiful swimming hole, with a little waterfall and pandanas palms everywhere. We stayed here 2 nights, because the road to Mitchell Falls was even worse and took 2.5 hours for 70km's.
Mitchell Falls was where I was looking forward to most, so when I heard there was an hour long chopper flight over the falls and surrounding area, I jumped at the chance, and re-arranged my finances to fit both chopper rides in, because I wasn't going to miss the Bungles flight either. I even got the front seat! OMG! it was fantastic! Lots and Lots and lots of photos, of course. We got picked up at the top of Mitchell Falls, so we had to walk out there first, a 3km walk, past Murton's Big and Little falls. We had lunch at the top of the Mitchell falls and had a swim in the river at the top, before catching out flight, which ended back at the carpark. Everyone not getting the flight, walked back, obviously. Big cheesey grins for the rest of that day, that was for sure!
Next day we stopped at Miners pool, which was a few minutes drive from Drysdale River, so we went for a beer there again, and some people stayed on for a few hours, but I went back to camp with some others for another swim, and laze around, because we we'd been on a very tight schedule for the last few days.
Next night was El Questro...I think... and we pulled in there around lunchtime, set up camp and then grabbed out togs and headed for El Questro Gorge, which has a beautiful swimming hole in between 30m high cliffs, about 5m apart. I have officially found my pool design! without the 30m cliffs though, obviously.
Went back and had our first HOT SHOWER for days...ahhhh.
Happy hour was on at the pub, so, lo and behold, we had a few beers and called it a night around 9pm again....Did I mention that we're getting up at 5.30am EVERY MORNING without fail? I did? well, I've told you again then, haven't I?
That morning we packed up camp early and headed for Zebedee Hot Springs....ahhhh. I've now officially found my spa design too, although I might leave out the tadpoles :))
:( that was our last swimming place as we headed for the Bungle Bungles. We got there in time for the sunset, with cheese and crackers, and a glass of wine...niiiiice. Set up camp and crashed for the night
Next morning we walked into Cathedral Gorge, though the famous beehive domes of the bungles. When we reached the "Cathedral" everyone was whispering, because it echoed so well. I couldn't leave without hearing the accoustics, so I belted out Amazing Grace, and it sounded fantastic, even if I do say so myself. Everyone there just stopped what they were doing and watched me sing, urgh, how embarrasment! still, it had to be done, and then others had a go singing too. I'd have loved to hear a concert in there, it would be unreal.
then we went to the Helicopter airstrip, which they're redoing for the flying Doctor planes, so there was lots of work going on. Nanna decided she would take the flight after all, and we went in the same chopper, but she sat in the front and got a door put on. It was FANTASTIC. I never knew they were so big or that the domes went for so far! And all the bushwalking opportunities! oh, I'm SO going to have to go back there for a week at least!
Then after lunch we walked into Echidna Chasm... which is just out of this world. The Cliffs are about 50 - 100m high, it's hard to guess from ground level, and they're totally made up of conglomerate sandstone. So thousands and thousands of pebbles line the walls which are only a metre apart in some places, and the chasm goes on for a few hundred metres. Just awesome.
Then we saw another sunset from a different view point, although we had to run to this one, so it wasn't quite so nice. Another night in the Bungles, and then it was off to Kununurra (saltwater croc country)
Got into Kununurra early enough for a sunset cruise...yes, I've got HEAPS of sunset photos now.... which was on the Ord river, past some fruit bats, to feed some catfish, have some nibbles and a glass of chamapgne...ahhhh (again). There were a lot more ahhhh moments, but I won't bore you with them, because you had to be there :)
Hot showers again, yay! and a swiming pool. And quite a bit of wine, music and Carl's stock whip... which I'll be buggered if I can make crack, still, I had a bloody good go at it. It was a couples last night with us, so we gave them a good farewell, and woke up with slightly sore heads the next day.
Next day the aim was to get as far as possible before the sun went down. We were supposed to stop back near Timber Creek, but we went about 300km's past that, in an effort to get into Darwin early enough for some of the crew to get to the Mindel Markets (which Nanna and I will go to on Thursday) \
Again, we found a pub, so we stopped at it, The Victoria River Pub. :)) anyone would think we're a bunch of Alcoholics, but one beer does not constitute getting drunk, and in that heat it goes down very nicely indeed. So we found a roadside camp and set up in time for one last sunset (which was definately one of the best yet). Everyone was quiet and reflective, so I'm glad we'd had a good night the night before. Next morning was SO hard to get up, because we'd lost an hour and a half going over the NT Border, so it felt like we were getting up at about 4am, and in the dark, to boot. So when we got to Katherine an hour later the roadhouse was completely sold out of Bacon and Egg sandwiches as we all wanted a cooked breakfast, or at least something in our tummies. Not many people flet like eating breakky at 4 in the morning.
So we got to Katherine Gorge at 9am and had 2 hours to explore, which really wasn't enough. Still, we (that is, me and 3 other backpacker girls about my age) raced up to the lookout, and swa some people kayaking on the river through the gorge. So we raced back down again, and hired 2 double kayaks for an hour. Oh, so cool! That's the way to see it, definately. It['s beautiful and quite, and so impressive. An hour wasn't long enough though, so I'm going to have to go back there too, and hire one overnight and camp in the Gorge somewhere....they swear there's no Salty's in there, but we'll just have to see.
We got into Darwin at 5.30pm and we got dropped off first. :(( it's all over. I think Nanna's happy that it is, because it was really a backpacker style tour, but we saw it all, and the only part she really didn't enjoy was the tents. I, however, wish it could have gone on for twice as long. I'm sorely missing camping now, and for the last couple of nights I've dreamt I'm back out in the Bungles, walking through the gorges, or swimming in some of the amazing waterholes we visited. yep, The Kimberley is in my blood, and it's going to be very difficult to come home. Still, if Nanna can do it at her age, I'm sure I'll get back here and see it at my own pace in my lifetime.
So we're bumming around Darwin now... we're picking up the hire car this arvo. I spent most of yesterday lazing around the pool and in the spa, but Nanna was out shopping and seeing some of the sights.
We're off to Berri Springs, Litchfield and the NT Animal Park sometime in the next few days, as well as doing a sunset cruise (why break the pattern?)
Believe it or not, I had a great time dragging the old girl around after me, and after all, she was the one who asked me to go with her. So, instead of writing another really long entry, I thought I'd just cut and paste the bulk-email I sent everyone the day after we arrived in Darwin. It's still going to be a long entry, it's just that I'm not going to have to write it again, and no, I'm not going to LJ cut it, bad luck :))
So, here goes...
Hi everyone!
Rest assured that this is the first time I've thought about any of you since leaving little old freezing cold Adelaide :)) ...well, almost, I'm not that self centred I hope :P
So here's the run down, in one fell sweep, so I won't have to repeat myself too many times. (oops, there I go again, being all selfish). Actually, I'll probably WANT to rave about it when I get home, so this way you can say " yeah yeah, we already know".
so...
We took off from Adelaide Airport in a Boeing 747 at 9.30, as scheduled, and I had a very good window seat :). Got to Alice Springs around noon, and waited there for 45 minutes or so, then onto a much smaller plane to Broome. I got a window seat again, but most of what I could see was the engines and wing. Oh well, I could still see pretty well, and when we finally got over Robuck Bay and Cable Beach....Oh My God... it was SO beautiful. Robuck bay was all silted up, because of the mud flats, but when we passed over that to Cable Beach and you could see sand bars and NO SEAWEED for miles and miles, it was just gorgeous. We were worried that we might miss the 1/2 day tour of Broome we had booked, but our flight was right on time, and so we met our tour giude and jumped straight on, whilst our bags were taken to our accomodation.
We saw all the sights of Broome (which really did only take 5 hours) including the Sun Theatre, Pearl Luggers, Gantheaume Point, and all the pubs and shopping centres of Broome (most important...hmm) and ended up at Cable Beach for Champagne and Nibble on the beach, watching sunset in style. What a way to start our holidays, eh?
Next day we caught a bus into Broome town and walked around a bit, shopping, sorting out tours and the sunset camel ride. So bummed around Broome until about 3.30pm and caught the bus back to Cable Beach and waited around for the camels. That was SO cool, riding through the dunes and coming onto the beach as the sun was getting ready to set. Another way you have to see the Broome sunset, undeed!
We were going on the 2 day tour out to Geiki Gorge the next day, which meant being picked up outside the hotel at 7am... which of course, meant getting up at 5.30.
I might add here that 5.30am was sunrise, and by golly, we saw an awful lot of sunrises as well as sunsets!
So we head off on our tour with 2 Danish guys (20 & 21 yeatr olds) So Nanna was a bit out of here element I think. I was shocked, that's for sure, I thought everyone was going to be an old fart, but not on this trip, obviously. Still, they kept to themselves, which was weird, considering there was only 4 tourists.
We saw Geiki Gorge that arvo, and took a boat cruise up the gorge, which was beautiful, and I saw my first ever wild croc...even though it was only a freshy. Our accom. that night was a "safari tent" which is a canvas tent with a cement floor, and an ensuite inside. :)) THAT'S how camping should be done!
We actually had 2 guides, because one was in training, so we got very well looked after, the food was brilliant, and plentiful...breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner.
Next day we saw Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek. Tunnel Creek was my fav. bit because it was an enourmous cave that was really easy to get though, and I took almost a complete roll of film in there. Windjana Gorge was good too, because our guide was a croc nutter, and huge Steve Urwin fan, so everytime a croc was sunning himself he'd see how close he could get to it, and then tried to get me close to it too, for Nanna to take a photo. :)) we didn't get one though!
I'm going to have to write this quicker, so I'll ease up on the details now....just ask me later.
Next day we spent lying around the pool at the resort and went to see "Guess Who" at the Sun Theatre. It was a funny film, but even funnier was the fact that about 6 aeroplanes came in to land DIRECTLY over the outdoor screen during the movie:))
Up again at 5.30am to get on our Kimberley 11 day tour. We were a bit disappointed at the condition of the "bus" which was really a truck with a comfy seat seation bolted to the back... you'll see it in the photo's I'm sure. But the comfy seat we were left with that day were such a squeeze, I couldn't put my legs in front of me, so we moved into the front cab, just behind out guide, Carl, which was heaps better for leg room, but, funnily enough, just like sitting in the back seat of a truck.
So we got to Windjana Gorge to set up camp around 2pm. That's when we realised we didn't have either swags or tall touring tents, but little pup tents that were apparently 2 man tents. Nanna was very annoyed, and I was a bit shocked, considering I was SO looking forward to sleeping in a swag, so I said I'd sleep under a tarp that night (as a few others did), so nanna could have the tent to herself. Then we went and did Tunnel Creek again, much to my delight, and came back for some very yummy grub and fell asleep around 9pm. It was very cool to wake up every few hours and see the Milky Way moving across the sky, as well as the other million stars out there. I'm well and truely sold...I'm buying a swag as soon as I get home!
Next day we went through Imantji, where our guide used to work. Basically it's a roadhouse with a mechanic workshop, and Aborginal community and a safari permanent camp.Carl was one of the mechanics there for a year. We stopped for lunch at Galvin's Gorge, which has the most beautiful little waterfall, swing rope and swimming hole, so had a nice swim there before getting back on the bus. We stayed at Mt Barnett that night, which has a beautiful swimming hole, and SHOWERS.
Next morning we walked out to Manning Falls, which was a hard walk in the heat (it's been about 33 deg's every day) but with a fantastic waterfall at the end, which some of us proceeded to jump off at varying heights. very cool fun! Nanna was a real trooper, but it took it out of her, and for the rest of the day she was wrecked. From there we drove out to King Edward River, through Drysdale River (which had a pub that we stopped at while Carl filled up the bus, and called to book our flights over Mitchell Falls). Whilst at Drysdale river we managed to borrow a tent from the station owners for Nanna that she could stand up in, because she was having real trouble with the lowness of their tents. Carl was doing a return journey straight after this one, so he said he'd drop it back in a weeks time or so. As you can imagine, Nanna was stoked. So, whilst listening to John Williams...twice... we drove the remaining 100 km's at 50km's an hour, because the dirt roads were so rough. Apparently they were the best they've been in years, sheesh! Set up camp at King Edward River... again, another beautiful swimming hole, with a little waterfall and pandanas palms everywhere. We stayed here 2 nights, because the road to Mitchell Falls was even worse and took 2.5 hours for 70km's.
Mitchell Falls was where I was looking forward to most, so when I heard there was an hour long chopper flight over the falls and surrounding area, I jumped at the chance, and re-arranged my finances to fit both chopper rides in, because I wasn't going to miss the Bungles flight either. I even got the front seat! OMG! it was fantastic! Lots and Lots and lots of photos, of course. We got picked up at the top of Mitchell Falls, so we had to walk out there first, a 3km walk, past Murton's Big and Little falls. We had lunch at the top of the Mitchell falls and had a swim in the river at the top, before catching out flight, which ended back at the carpark. Everyone not getting the flight, walked back, obviously. Big cheesey grins for the rest of that day, that was for sure!
Next day we stopped at Miners pool, which was a few minutes drive from Drysdale River, so we went for a beer there again, and some people stayed on for a few hours, but I went back to camp with some others for another swim, and laze around, because we we'd been on a very tight schedule for the last few days.
Next night was El Questro...I think... and we pulled in there around lunchtime, set up camp and then grabbed out togs and headed for El Questro Gorge, which has a beautiful swimming hole in between 30m high cliffs, about 5m apart. I have officially found my pool design! without the 30m cliffs though, obviously.
Went back and had our first HOT SHOWER for days...ahhhh.
Happy hour was on at the pub, so, lo and behold, we had a few beers and called it a night around 9pm again....Did I mention that we're getting up at 5.30am EVERY MORNING without fail? I did? well, I've told you again then, haven't I?
That morning we packed up camp early and headed for Zebedee Hot Springs....ahhhh. I've now officially found my spa design too, although I might leave out the tadpoles :))
:( that was our last swimming place as we headed for the Bungle Bungles. We got there in time for the sunset, with cheese and crackers, and a glass of wine...niiiiice. Set up camp and crashed for the night
Next morning we walked into Cathedral Gorge, though the famous beehive domes of the bungles. When we reached the "Cathedral" everyone was whispering, because it echoed so well. I couldn't leave without hearing the accoustics, so I belted out Amazing Grace, and it sounded fantastic, even if I do say so myself. Everyone there just stopped what they were doing and watched me sing, urgh, how embarrasment! still, it had to be done, and then others had a go singing too. I'd have loved to hear a concert in there, it would be unreal.
then we went to the Helicopter airstrip, which they're redoing for the flying Doctor planes, so there was lots of work going on. Nanna decided she would take the flight after all, and we went in the same chopper, but she sat in the front and got a door put on. It was FANTASTIC. I never knew they were so big or that the domes went for so far! And all the bushwalking opportunities! oh, I'm SO going to have to go back there for a week at least!
Then after lunch we walked into Echidna Chasm... which is just out of this world. The Cliffs are about 50 - 100m high, it's hard to guess from ground level, and they're totally made up of conglomerate sandstone. So thousands and thousands of pebbles line the walls which are only a metre apart in some places, and the chasm goes on for a few hundred metres. Just awesome.
Then we saw another sunset from a different view point, although we had to run to this one, so it wasn't quite so nice. Another night in the Bungles, and then it was off to Kununurra (saltwater croc country)
Got into Kununurra early enough for a sunset cruise...yes, I've got HEAPS of sunset photos now.... which was on the Ord river, past some fruit bats, to feed some catfish, have some nibbles and a glass of chamapgne...ahhhh (again). There were a lot more ahhhh moments, but I won't bore you with them, because you had to be there :)
Hot showers again, yay! and a swiming pool. And quite a bit of wine, music and Carl's stock whip... which I'll be buggered if I can make crack, still, I had a bloody good go at it. It was a couples last night with us, so we gave them a good farewell, and woke up with slightly sore heads the next day.
Next day the aim was to get as far as possible before the sun went down. We were supposed to stop back near Timber Creek, but we went about 300km's past that, in an effort to get into Darwin early enough for some of the crew to get to the Mindel Markets (which Nanna and I will go to on Thursday) \
Again, we found a pub, so we stopped at it, The Victoria River Pub. :)) anyone would think we're a bunch of Alcoholics, but one beer does not constitute getting drunk, and in that heat it goes down very nicely indeed. So we found a roadside camp and set up in time for one last sunset (which was definately one of the best yet). Everyone was quiet and reflective, so I'm glad we'd had a good night the night before. Next morning was SO hard to get up, because we'd lost an hour and a half going over the NT Border, so it felt like we were getting up at about 4am, and in the dark, to boot. So when we got to Katherine an hour later the roadhouse was completely sold out of Bacon and Egg sandwiches as we all wanted a cooked breakfast, or at least something in our tummies. Not many people flet like eating breakky at 4 in the morning.
So we got to Katherine Gorge at 9am and had 2 hours to explore, which really wasn't enough. Still, we (that is, me and 3 other backpacker girls about my age) raced up to the lookout, and swa some people kayaking on the river through the gorge. So we raced back down again, and hired 2 double kayaks for an hour. Oh, so cool! That's the way to see it, definately. It['s beautiful and quite, and so impressive. An hour wasn't long enough though, so I'm going to have to go back there too, and hire one overnight and camp in the Gorge somewhere....they swear there's no Salty's in there, but we'll just have to see.
We got into Darwin at 5.30pm and we got dropped off first. :(( it's all over. I think Nanna's happy that it is, because it was really a backpacker style tour, but we saw it all, and the only part she really didn't enjoy was the tents. I, however, wish it could have gone on for twice as long. I'm sorely missing camping now, and for the last couple of nights I've dreamt I'm back out in the Bungles, walking through the gorges, or swimming in some of the amazing waterholes we visited. yep, The Kimberley is in my blood, and it's going to be very difficult to come home. Still, if Nanna can do it at her age, I'm sure I'll get back here and see it at my own pace in my lifetime.
So we're bumming around Darwin now... we're picking up the hire car this arvo. I spent most of yesterday lazing around the pool and in the spa, but Nanna was out shopping and seeing some of the sights.
We're off to Berri Springs, Litchfield and the NT Animal Park sometime in the next few days, as well as doing a sunset cruise (why break the pattern?)