After setting our own agenda for the last 11 days or so, the alarm going off in the dark was quite confronting. We had organised our bags the night before so we really only had to deal with an early breakfast and then be on the bus by 7am. In what would become routine, we placed our bags on the front porch and walked to the restaurant.
The morning brought with it a surprise, dear reader. The sunrise in Broome is also beautiful and worthy of a photo - if only I'd had my camera and been alert enough. True, it may lack the colour of those ripping beach sunsets, but I'd rate it.
The bus or truck, seats 22 passengers with our 2 guides up front. There are 21 guests on this trip. The seat rows are numbered, not numerically, and each day we need to move to the next number up. We sat in seat 5 so tomorrow we'll be in seat 6. The abstract allocation of the seat numbers and the rotation means that everyone sits in all positions on the truck. We later found out why this was so important, and it wasn't just the view.
 |
| It's good not be driving. |
Like many large vehicles the steps for access and egress were built for or designed by Brobdingnagians. For someone of my height, it meant that each step had to be negotiated separately. The seats were comfortable and the windows expansive to ensure nothing was missed. There was also a small screen TV attached to a camera that filmed to the never ending road before us.
The Boab Prison Tree
Our first stop was the aptly named Boab Prison Tree. It was, unsurprisingly used to imprison people. Well, that's the legend. Apparently there is no proof to support this theory. However, it is a registered Indigenous site of cultural significance. The story goes that the tree was used to house Aboriginal people who were being transported to jail at Derby.
 |
| The Prison Tree. |
The boab tree is quite a feature of the land out here. It's distinctive bottle shape is easily recognised and unlike other trees has managed to escape the pillage and plunder of white colonialists. So far. Why? Excellent question my curious reader. The interior of the tree is quite fibrous and is therefore not particularly useful as fire wood or for building or, I imagine, pulping for the Japanese market.
The tree is fenced off today to dissuade visitors from getting too close but the fence is merely a suggestion. The sign warning of snakes is probably more convincing.
Dimulurru
Our next stop was to have been Tunnel Creek or Dimulurru, a 750m long tunnel carved out of the limestone by water courses in the Napier Ranges. Sadly this was not possible as the recent rain has swollen the waters of the tunnel to the extent that it required us to swim not wade through a section in the dark and this was deemed to be too risky. I mean, a 40 metre swim in freezing water in the dark, where's the risk?
Willare Road House
The Road House is most important out here given the massive distances that can be covered each day. And not just for fuel. Many have tourist parks or picnic grounds attached to allow travellers to stretch their legs. Willare was no different, except it had a couple of Boab trees that still held a single flower.
 |
| Unusual to be in flower at this time of year. |
Derby
Instead we headed to Derby for a tour of the Norval Gallery, where local First Nations artists' work is promoted and you can actually watch art being created as you wander through the studio. After a brief introduction to the local style of painting, we browsed and then headed out to the jetty for lunch and a wander to view the mud flats, exposed by the huge Derby tides. Some locals were fishing and had a catfish, among others. The water was a fast moving, swirling mass of silt. Most attractive.
 |
| The swirling expanse of the Fitzroy River. |
 |
| Wandjina by a local artist. |
 |
| One of Mark Norval's pieces. |
 |
| The mudflats. |
Bell Gorge Wilderness Lodge
After the break, we set out for our accommodation, Bell Gorge Wilderness Lodge, for our first night of glamping and outdoor dining. The lodge was in the middle of the national park with a central dining and bar area surrounded by tents, each with a deck, a bedroom and an ensuite bathroom and pathetic internet connectivity. I know, I know, first world problems, dear reader.
 |
| Home for the next two nights. |
After settling in for the two night stay, it was time for pre-dinner drinks with our travelling companions as well as another APT group who were staying at the lodge. Recurrent crossing of paths with different tour groups was to become a feature of the trip, as a fleet of APT and other tour operators roam around the Kimberly following variations of the same itinerary.
One traveller from the other group, a fellow Bunnies supporter, expressed her grave disappointment that, due to the rain, their group had not been able to reach the Bungle Bungles. This was her main reason for the trip and justifiably, she felt cheated. They did fly the group over the range as a sweetener, but she had already ticked that box and wanted to walk amongst the domes. Of course the reality is that so much of these itineraries is at the mercy of nature. We weren't sure we would even leave Broome given the Gibb River Road had been closed as we drove up the coast.
 |
| No babies here. Move on young fella. |
Anyway, a pleasant evening was had and then to bed, after the temperature took a notable dive post sunset. We slid under the multiple layers on the bed, alarm set for an early rise to set out on the first real day of the "inland adventure".
Are you being slightly critical of toady's title my dear reader? That is a tad harsh. It is difficult to get a blog finished with photos in a climate of narrow bandwidth and questionable connectivity. The early mornings are dulling my usually razor sharp wit. Anyway, it's a disco classic from my youth. Anita Ward from 1979.
Until next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment