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G'day everyone, hows it going? Since the last update we've driven 2500kms and still only a third of the way to Darwin! But seen the true Aussie outback. Even inherited some pets along the way!
We've hired a 4x4 adventure camper for 25 days, its a Toyota Hilux with a box on the back that we live in! It's a bit cramped but it's got a pop-top that makes it bigger when we're parked up, even James can stand up in it, just about! Fridge is big enough for a bit of meat and some of those stubbies of Strongbow, perfect! Air conditioning for the hot, sticky nights and an outside stove and sink for the all important food preparation! Great fun driving, it must be the fastest campervan in Australia the way we drive! They say watch out for the roadtrains, but we say watch out for Alf (our name for the van, cos it's a flamin galah!) For you people that don't know, he's from Home and Away. And by the way Sally survives after her stabbing! Loz has had a few pointers on driving a truck from James, parking is still a bit iffy though! Not used to having a whopping great box on the back! When we pass another van it's customary to wave to say everythings ok, we've decided that if you don't wave back you get a different sign, this is called the bird, those that don't know what that is, its the middle finger!!
First stop was the Pinnacles in Cervantes (the picture above). Its a desert the size of Bushey and Watford put together and its full of limestone pillars sticking up out of the sand. Really weird place as its right next to the Indian Ocean yet it feels like you're in the middle of nowhere. Some of the pillars are more than 3 times the height of James, and they're still growing! We drove round in our camper and waited for sunset. It was really eerie cos it was so quiet, but with the wind whistling through! The pillars changed to a pinky colour as the sun went down over the sea, pretty amazing place! Had our first glimpse of an emu and his brother wandering amongst the stone pillars, back to the van and windows up! Then on way back to caravan park 3 roos jumped out in front of us, had a great view of them as they were right in front of the headlights! Missed them thank god as they have an arse the size of a cow and would definitely have smashed the front of the van!
Next stop was Kalbarri National Park, home of the Z bend and Natures Window (famous natural landmarks). Good job we had 4x4 cos we had to drive 50kms on bumpy sand/dirt tracks to get there! James loved it, thought he was in the Dakar Rally! Got the van covered in red dust, enough for James to write "Spurs on Tour" on the back! Well worth the ride though, the Z bend is a steep gorge through which the Murchison river flows through before it meets the Indian Ocean. We went to the bottom, climbing down rocks and boulders bigger than us, not sure if we were supposed to but we made it to tell the tale! Some great pictures and video of the amazing scenery. The red rock against the blue sky looked fantastic. Natures Window is a hole in a rock about 2 metres square, on top of a cliff face, how it got there who knows! But the view through it is great, frames the river as far as you can see, and so quiet apart from the zillion flies! Down by the gorge there were some deserted sand banks spreading from the red rocks to the water, but hours of walking to get there, too far in this heat!
Visited Monkey Mia in Sharks Bay (picture from plane that we took flying into Oz, so look back to see it). It's a famous bay where they feed the dolphins in the sea each day. Completely out of the way but worth it to see the dolphins swim in for their fishy meal! Amazing to see them in their natural habitat and not trained in a pool. Not able to touch them but that's all part of keeping them wild. Then whilst sitting on the jetty watching the fish a turtle appeared and popped his head up to say hello! Huge thing but amazing to see, Loz was well chuffed! Jim was still looking for a Great White, but to his disappointment there aren't as many as you think there are, and it's very rare they come into shallow waters. Keep looking James!
Next drove to Coral Bay, this is where the Ningaloo Reef stretches for hundreds of miles around the North-West tip of Australia. Not very well-known but apparently just as impressive as the Barrier Reef. So we bought a couple of snorkel sets and headed out to explore it. After about an hour of sorting the straps out and psyching ourselves up, then getting in and swallowing mouthfuls of sea water we finally managed to see some fish! Haven't got a clue what they were but some were huge and kept giving Jim the evil eye! Only problem is waters are full of Stingrays, Manta Rays, Jellyfish and sharks. A shark swam 20ft away from Jim, about his size too, he s*** himself! The shark that is! Not sure what sort it was but they all look pretty scary, had visions of a Jaws movie! Anyway, survived that and moved on for our next adventure.
Arrived in Exmouth a couple of days ago, supposed to have one of the best beaches in the world, Turquoise Bay. And it certainly lives up to its name, fine white sand and beautiful turquoise water with the reef 100ft from the beach. More snorkelling now that we're pro's and lots more sunbathing, starting to look like two Abo's!
This is where the tough bit starts, we're heading towards the dodgy weather where flooding is quite likely due to heavy rain and possible cyclones so we'll have to be extra careful and keep ourselves updated with whats ahead. The weather for the next week looks good though so we'll keep our fingers crossed that it stays like it!
Heading towards Karijini National Park tomorrow, another park full of waterfalls, gorges and rock formations. Big drive to get there though, 700kms! Few hours the way we drive, traffic permitting of course! Might see another vehicle on the way, if we're lucky! you go for miles around without seeing a soul, apart from a few roos, emus and goats. It's like a scene from a film, where all human life has been wiped out and we're the only ones left! Good job we still like each others company! The outback is as you'd imagine it, blue sky, red landscape with a bit of scrubland and huge termite mounds sticking up from the ground here and there...and Alf the flaming galah flying through kicking up some dust! You can picture it can't you!
Very quiet where we are now, apparently it's too hot for most people at this time of year! Apart from us mad Europeans that is! It's well over 100 degrees everyday, perfect! Still enjoying our version of bushtucker - the other travellers share instant noodles out of a saucepan while we sit down to gourmet freshly cooked meat and veg, that's one thing we can't let slip! Backpackers are definitely a different breed - studenty, strange clothes and have obviously run out of soap! We're certainly starting to realise that you can be happier with little money, very few luxuries and a simpler lifestyle than we've been used to. Don't worry we haven't turned all hippyfied, it's just put things into perspective a bit more!
Anyway, hope everyone and everything is ok back there, we love hearing from you all. Bye for now, it's time for a stubbie and a dip in the pool! P.S Got shark for dinner tonight! Mmmm, snap! xxx
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