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Caravan Capers, WA
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Caravan Capers, WA

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    23 de abril de 2017
    Graham n RosieCaravan Capers, WAGraham n Rosie

    Day One- Adelaide to Merriton

    23 de abril de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Finally on the road! After a slow start we've finally managed to get our butts out of the driveway. Our first day includes a short trip to Merriton, where we overnight at mum n Trev's place. See you all in 6 months!Leia mais

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    Merriton to Pimba

    25 de abril de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Well we spent the night at Merriton, and farewelled Trev bright and early to head off on our journey. I had to take a shot of my Pa's old workbench - fond childhood memories there, good to see it's being used (!!).
    After enduring a decidedly soggy drive we arrived at Spud's Roadhouse for the night. This is a traditional stopover for those coming or going north. A huge fe free camp space is available for campers with an added bonus of toilets and showers. We spent the afternoon organising the stuff that had been "thrown in" the van when we left home. Then, a short stroll to Spuds for a counter meal and beer. Nice. Today we are hoping to get to Coober Pedy, the weather is much better so fingers crossed.    Leia mais

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    Beyond Coober Pedy

    25 de abril de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Well we continue to break our own rules by driving around 6 hours today just to get to a campsite north of Coober Pedy, a delightfully toilet paper-strewn spot with the poetic name of Pootnoura. No toilets, which explains the surrounding decor, but a welcome stop anyway. Caught up with a couple we came across in Pt Augusta who have an older fully off-road version of our van. Full of helpful tips and advice (them, not us), it strikes me that this is the reason we like caravanning - people are intrinsically nice, we just need the opportunity and space to prove it. And since vanners are on holiday they are automatically in a good mood and thus quick with a wave, a smile, a good deed and a beer. One day I hope to be like them. 😋The pics attached include a couple of images of our drive: getting our Easyrider groove on, Coober landscapes and POOtnoura camp

    Don't panic, we won't be posting EVERY day, we are sure to get over it soon. 😋    Leia mais

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    Desert Oak camp

    26 de abril de 2017, Austrália ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    Our first footprint in NT bull dust! We left Pootnoura early and easily made it here by 430, after a stop at Marla and then the SA/NT border. To mark the occasion I pulled out a couple of birthday pressies - a seriously groovy instamatic mini camera (retro is king) and a seriously daggy "selfie-stick". With both ends covered there is no way we are gonna miss a thing (tenuous Aerosmith reference there).Leia mais

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    Alice Springs

    27 de abril de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We've been here a few times so didn't feel the need to hang around beyond a quick mall walk and a coffee etc. We quite like the place, although it's a shame to see so many shops empty. Walking the mall midweek you'd expect a crowd but AS seems just to amble along in its own time. Then again I expect the mall is far too touristy for the locals to hang out in if they don't have to.

    One thing that is new is the very impressive Supreme Court of NT, a huge glass creation that dominates everything as you walk down the mall. Impressive, but I'm guessing that's the whole point.

    Not far out of AS we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn- the official boundary between desert and tropics. It's also where the saying "going troppo" describes the increased 'odd' behaviour of those trying to cope with the humidity in the buildup to the Wet season. At least that's what the sign said anyway. It also said there was free wifi but THAT was a lie, so.....    Leia mais

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    Tennant Creek

    28 de abril de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Telstra is king out here and we were fortunate to find a phone boosting tower at our camp. Had to get a shot of Graham using this 21st century version of the ole bush telegraph.
    After leaving Ti-Tree this morning we've made our way along the Stuart highway toward our next camp. This is a road we've done a few times so didn't feel the need to get out and look at everything again. Couldn't help but get in a shot at Barrow Creek Hotel -very 'rustic' and now known as the place Joanne Lees was first taken when found by a truckie not far up the road after her ordeal with Bradley Murdoch. I doubt anyone can now drive this stretch of highway without at least momentarily thinking of Peter Falconio and what happened.
    Wycliffe Wells (alien-sighting capital of Oz?!) is another interesting stop but found it all a bit sad and grubby this time. The fact that nothing had been done to the alien display (or general shelving for that matter) since we were last through here few years ago was a bit off putting. A dust would have been good. 🙁

    So here we sit at the dump point next to sports oval, catching up on fb and emptying our toilet (it's a glamorous life) before moving on to Kunjarra (The Pebbles) - an area the locals kindly allow visitors to camp by. That's enough for one day :)    Leia mais

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    Daly Waters

    29 de abril de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Arriving in Daly Waters at the iconic pub was a welcome end to a 5 1/2 hour drive. We decided to push on to get here so that we could have more time in Mataranka up the road. We arrived to see the Rodeo was in town (the paddock next door) so that was a bit of a bonus.

    The place was packed with cowboys 😍by 2pm when we arrived, most of them looking like they'd been there a while. I hoped that these were the ones that had already fallen off and said "bugger it, I need a beer" cos I didn't like the thought of some of them getting in the saddle in their current state.

    Didn't take my phone to the rodeo but Graham got some nice shots at the night session, so will post those at some point. It's an amazing set up, whether you love or hate the idea of it, there's something very raw and basic about the whole thing. And it's a serious part of life out here - these guys follow the circuit in what seems a pretty tight knit community. Of course the boys from the bush raise hell when the sun goes down (hello Lee Kernighan!) so that was fun to watch too.

    We enjoyed the Beef n Barra meal the pub is famous for and settled in the beer garden for a great meal with what turned out to be a awesome entertainment. Lou and Phil from Nimbin were a super trippy country blue "grassy"couple who harmonised beautifully, singing covers and originals during the set.

    I had to check out the business card I left stapled to the bar a couple of years ago. This is a tradition at Daly Waters so make sure you leave something behind if you're ever up this way. Took me a while to find cos some genius stapled their crap over the top. Of course it didn't take long to fix the situation (sorry Bill blah blah but that's life).

    So, off to Mataranka tomorrow to spend a day or so in the thermal springs. 🙂    Leia mais

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    Mataranka

    30 de abril de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Facebook threw up a great memory-Graham by the water's edge in Venice 5 years ago today. Mum n Bridie, you guys will remember the hours we spent drinking vino by the bridge...fast forward 5 years and Graham is even closer to the water's edge - see photos!

    We've been looking forward to this stop and weren't disappointed. We stayed at the Mataranka Homestead park, less than 200m walk from the spring. The park itself has a huge open bar/restaurant and stage area for bands etc. Sadly the beer was expensive and not so cold so we didn't hang around it in the evening.

    The spring itself was really lovely- some don't like the fact that it's cemented but when you think of the thousands that visit every year, it makes sense. We followed a path to the source of the spring and the bubbling colours were spectacular! We are a couple of weeks ahead of the tourist season so it wasn't too crowded at all. Freshwater crocs are definitely around, they've stopped trapping them further up the river. They aren't much to worry about unless you annoy them Im told. 😬.

    The highlight of this stop was definitely getting out there in the early morning. The air is crisp and the steam coming up from the warm spring is magical in the sunlight. Love it ❤️

    We decided only to stay one night in the end, figured we would head to Mt Bundy Station and spend the extra days there before we are due in Darwin on the 4th. :)    Leia mais

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    Mt Bundy Station, Adelaide River

    3 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Mt Bundy, is a working cattle station that also has a working caravan park. Scott and Sue run the show and when they're not mustering cattle, horses or water buffalo they will be fronting The Cheeky Bull Bar (the coldest and cheapest beer we've had in the Top End) and hand-making amazing pizza.

    Being a working cattle station there is an obvious ruggedness to this location and I guess that's part of the appeal. We set up camp in the unpowered section, maybe a little too close to the Adelaide River (6000 plus crocs). Nestled amongst a lush grove of trees ( which proved a challenge for our solar power), wildlife abounded. From the cutest silky wallabies, preening peacocks, dusty cattle dogs and even the gruesome cane toads which would join you in the toilets if you required a late night visit.

    The opportunity to mingle with fellow travellers is always fun and on this occasion to meet a couple who opted for a parrot rather than a caravan dog made for interesting conversation. Mt Bundy is a special place, its chemistry blended from the land, people, and its wildlife, fenced and free roaming. Thanks for the memories!    Leia mais

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    Adelaide River War Cemetery & Snake Crk

    3 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Visited this beautiful memorial that honours the many who died when WW2 arrived on Australian shores. The impact of the Japanese attack on Darwin was immense - more bombs were dropped during the air raid of 19 February 1942 than on Pearl Harbour! In excess of 60 Japanese aerial incursions occurred over the Top End with bombings as far south as Katherine. The graves of these soldiers are meticulously maintained in an oasis of lush, green, scented gardens.

    Adjacent is a civilian section containing the graves of non service people who also became victims of the war. This included a very prominent tribute to the workers - many of whom were related - of the Darwin Post Office which suffered a direct hit from Japanese bombers, killing everyone inside.

    Adelaide River was strategically important as troops in Darwin were pushed back by the bombing. After searching over two days we eventually found the site of the old armament camp at Snake Creek. More of a secret now than it possibly was during WW2 and only accessible by 4WD. It's not signposted and has been left to rot away, because (we were told) it is on Aboriginal land and therefore no one wants to take responsibility for it.

    The remains left behind are slowly being reclaimed by the bush but you can still see some of the buildings used to make and store artillery shells and the railway line used to transport everything in and out. It's placement outside of the town in a heavily vegetated valley meant Japanese bombers would have had difficulty spotting it.    Leia mais

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    Mindil Beach

    4 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Our first day in Darwin was all about hooking up the van to some air conditioning (yeah!) and cooling down in the park's swimming pool. The theme here is HUMIDITY. After enjoying these luxuries we set of for the famed Mindil Beach Markets, a glorious mix of Territorian arts, crafts and cuisine.

    The market atmosphere is jumping as locals and tourists both jostle up and down long winding rows of stalls selling tshirts, indigenous arts, wood carvings, croc and roo leather goods, happy hippy stuff, jewellery stalls etc. About a kilometre of food vans (seems like it anyway) showcase the wonderful mix that is Darwin's cultural scene - heavy On the Asian side of course but also a pinch of Greek and Russian too!

    The other thing you do is head onto the beach in time for the sunset so along with a few hundred others, thats what we did. Many people were there with wine 🍷and chairs, so it's a real tradition here. Fire twirlers were out practicing their stuff after the sun melted away into a very calm Arafura sea. I couldn't work out why no one was swimming though - it was still over 30 degrees even at 7pm. The pano I took clearly shows everyone firmly planted on land. Eventually it dawned - nobody (except backpackers apparently) swims in any of these beaches because of crocodiles! How frustrating it must be - warm, humid temperatures plus gorgeous sandy beaches is a perfect combination. It's just that you might get eaten so, best not, hey?    Leia mais

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    Darwin Friday and Saturday

    6 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    We spent a gorgeous evening at the Wharf, eating delicious oysters and Chilli 🌶 Mud crab. The whole experience was just magical and definitely a great memory. The evening breeze was a welcome visitor as were the many fish dancing around the jetty below us. Sipping on a crisp sav Blanc whilst watching various ships, boats and yachts of all shapes and sizes drift by. Awesome.

    The following day it was off to the Parap Markets and Nightcliff for their Seabreeze festival. Parap is famed mostly for its Laksa apparently, so when in Rome....extra Chilli = deliciousness. This tradition was recommended to us and they weren't wrong. The market itself is pretty small with many stall holders the same ones from Mindil beach. This town loves their markets so clearly the sellers do the rounds - there must be at least 4 -5 different markets going on in varied places around Darwin in any given week.

    Seabreeze was a chance to sit back for the afternoon and watch the community showcase of local music. There were lots of other activities further up the beach strip but I'm afraid the humidity got to me today so after finding a shady spot there was no chance I was going to lose it! Performers were mostly school bands etc and there were some really talented kids who I think we'll be seeing on The Voice or Australian Idol in a few year's time.

    Our last observation for the day - and one of the reasons we ❤️ Darwin, is the relaxed attitude to pretty much everything including parking. Markets and festivals notwithstanding, Darwinians are happy to park their vehicles anywhere they can. This includes median strips, footpaths, grasses verges etc. Very civilised I say, keeping the roadways clear. Councils in Adelaide could learn a thing or two about "going with the flow".    Leia mais

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    Goodbye Darwin

    7 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Our final day here in balmy Darwin - an extra day would have been good but we are keen to get to the Daly River so Graham can tick off catching a barramundi from his bucket list. In the meantime, he spent a good few hours at the aviation museum, something about "boys and their big toys" that I chose not to even attempt to understand. I left him to it and stayed at the park to relax amongst a few loads of washing etc.

    In the afternoon we drove to the marina and spent a lovely couple of hours at Lola's bar - a place we enjoyed last time we were here. It's cute n funky and the beer steins are large and cold. Perfect!

    Then, just as the sun was going down we hopped across the road for fish n chips with a uniquely Darwinian sunset view. There is something special that draws so many people to embrace this moment. Can't explain why but we don't experience the same attraction of the masses to our Adelaide seaside sunsets which can be equally beautiful. Sunset over the Arafura Sea, a magnificent end to our time in Darwin, looking forward to being back soon.    Leia mais

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    Daly River

    13 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    What a fabulous place! Staying at Lee and Jenny's Bushcamp was a stroke of good luck - friendly owners, green lawns, shady trees and a pool. Can't ask for much more than that. Oh wait - how about a Happy Hour viewing spot overlooking the river bend where you can watch the boats coming in each day during the Barra Classic Fishing Comp?

    This place is a Mecca for serious game fishers and it's easy to see why. The Barras are big around here and although Graham did his best, unfortunately those big buggers managed to elude him. He did however amass an impressive tally of thirteen barramundi from Bamboo Creek, which still count even if we had to throw them back. His two biggest were 42cm which, though a good size for our Weber, were still 13cm undersize. Let's face it, if you caught a 42cm bream back home, you would be pretty happy. All the same, consider that bucket list item truly ticked and just to make it official we visited the Barra Classic HQ at a nearby caravan park and picked up an official shirt for the man. To say he's pleased with himself is not a lie. Pretty chuffed I'd say!😀

    Fishing from the riverbank here also means some serious croc watching. This was my role and since Graham managed not to get eaten I'd say I did a pretty good job. They're everywhere here and so stealthy, it's quite something to watch. We brought my Pa's binoculars along and they've been great to watch these amazing (and yes, slightly terrifying) animals in their natural habitat. We were so careful to make sure we kept back from the water's edge etc although this is tricky when pulling up fish etc. Fishing off the pontoon was also probably not our best decision either and after spotting a large croc swimming around it the next day we decided not to tempt fate.

    Our final night was pretty special in the spirit of caravanners and Top End hospitality. Everyone soon gets to know everyone else in a place like this and the hospitality arrives in bucket loads. Take this for an example, a couple scored big in the Barra stakes while fishing out in their boat today. Four Barra in excess of 65cm. Not being big fish eaters they donated the barra to Lee to cook up for dinner for everyone in the park. Jen then door knocked everyone in the park inviting one and all to a "barra cookup" under hot coals and to bring something to share. Well, we've never seen so many varieties of potato salad, potato bake and chips in our life. Potato is a staple for caravanners on the road, so not so strange to see everyone bring a potato "something" to share as salad is hard to come by out here. Good humour and fun were shared by all. Jen topped off the night with dessert by serving up tiramisu for everyone.

    One final gracing of hospitality came from our caravan neighbours, Brian and his wife, who presented us with a 68 cm barra (filleted), to add to our freezer. A little something to sustain us on our journey as we head West. Thanks guys for adding to our special memories. Our time on the Daly has been awesome!    Leia mais

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    Zebra Rock Mines

    16 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Spending a couple of nights at Zebra Rock Mines was a great decision - we met some great people, Rosie scored some cute earrings and we enjoyed silver cobbler and chips (a new experience) and a brilliant sunset cruise featuring many highlights as the afternoon turned to sunset and twilight turned to night - appreciative guests in nature's wonderland.

    The caravan park is a rustic little place with cold showers but has a lovely cafe area with the most amazing tables cut from great slabs of Zebra stone. We spent more than a few hours around those tables enjoying the atmosphere of the place and a few beers. Cane toad spotting was also an interesting exercise in the evenings.    Leia mais

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    Lake Argyle

    18 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    We only stayed one night at this pretty, grassy green caravan park but it was one of those things we really wanted to do for the infinity swimming pool. What we didn't realise was just exactly how beautiful the view of the lake was from the park. It's what Graham refers to as a "wonder and awe" experience. Musician Steve Case (no relation to Justin), entertained us as the sun went down and swelled the colours of the rock to a vibrant, fiery yellow and red - such a glorious view. Bonus!Leia mais

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    Kununurra Part One

    23 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ⛅ 35 °C

    Crossing the border into WA requires careful preparation - no fruit, veg, peanuts or honey are allowed, so we made sure those items were tossed out or eaten before arriving. Contrary to what we were led to believe, the guys at "Checkpoint Charlie" were fast and friendly and we passed inspection with no problems, luckier than some. We headed to Kununurra and arrived for a 9 night stay at the Showgrounds. We caught up with Richard and Andrea there - a lovely couple we'd had fun meeting at Zebra Rock. No doubt we'll see them on down the road again some time.

    The Ord Valley Muster is on at the moment so we decided to hang around and enjoy some of the events. Highlights of the first 4 days included: attending our first Rugby League match - Townies VS Country - good clean local fun; digging up a serious sweat at the Argyle Diamond Dig event; watching some fabulous Aussie short films at the Flickerfest roadshow AND laughing ourselves silly as a lineup of comedians tried desperately to remember their material whilst being attacked by millions of moths onstage. (Beautifully choreographed and funnier than some of their jokes. 😂) The pre-show entertainment was amazing - two local guys playing great music 🎶 that we could have listened to all night.

    We also managed a trip to Stonecraft to look at their Zebra rock carvings. We couldn't resist picking up a few pieces including an awesome - and very heavy - candle holder and a fabulous hand painted tray depicting the Bungle Bungles. Artist Jo was happy to pose with her work!    Leia mais

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    Kununurra Part Two

    24 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    We took a day trip to El Questro today, visiting Zebedee Springs just in time for a relaxing soak. Little pools of warm bliss are formed by the rocky creek bed, creating intimate little spaces to claim for your own. The lush canopy and bubbling creek were a magic combination.

    We also managed a bit of 4 wheel driving on our way to Pigeon's Lookout - a seriously, decent creek crossing (so glad we fitted the snorkel) and (what seemed like) a vertical climb over huge rocks tested our nerve. Teeth still rattling, we get to the top and discover not only that we lost a towing mirror but that our storage frame in the back collapsed under the pressure. Ah the joys of it all! Aside from the few hiccups, the panoramic vista which awaited us (of the Pentecost River) was worth it!

    Leaving El Questro (minus said mirror), we headed on to Wyndham, a town famous for the place where 5 rivers meet. The lookout area is amazing but the iPhone photos could never capture the immensity of the scene and do it justice.

    Returning to Kununurra we enjoyed sunset overlooking the town from Kelly's Knob Lookout. An eventful day! I    Leia mais

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    Kununurra Part Three

    27 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Our time in Kununurra almost at an end, we managed to fit in the Kimberley Moon Experience as a terrific finale. Amazing entertainment all afternoon, including Mirima dancers, Luke O'Shea and the McClymonts.

    The "Welcome to Country" was fabulous, as was the Kununurra Community Choir. Daryl Braithwaite was really entertaining, and got the best crowd reaction when singing Howzat! and The Horses.

    Jimmy Barnes and band put on an amazing show - no time to chat with the crowd as they punched out song after song. Awesome to see a living legend simply doing what he does. Loved it!❤️    Leia mais

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    Purnululu (Bungle Bungle Range)

    29 de maio de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Only entering mainstream consciousness in the 1980's, Purnululu was definitely one of Australia's best kept secrets. It's still not particularly easy to get to but well worth the 53km 4 wheel drive track off Highway One! This takes around an hour and a half. And that just gets you to the Visitor Centre. From there you have another 45min drive south to reach Cathedral Gorge. But oh, what an amazing place. It takes about an hour to walk in from the car park and the rewards were great. The sheer size of the gorge is unbelievable - and the echoing acoustics are incredible, hence the name of course. In one of the photos Graham is completely dwarfed by his surroundings. The "seahorse" shape made by the curving walls was pretty speccy also.

    This is the spot where you also see the famous striped "domes" or beehives, better known as the "Bungle Bungles". Up close they are completely stunning of course and our photography doesn't do them justice. This coloured landscape is breathtaking for its landforms and native flora, including some beautiful native grevillea that is truly stunning against a deep blue sky.

    We made our way to the North side where Graham did Echidna Gorge - a 2hr walk along a pebbly creek bed, enjoying the scenery as the rock "walls" became progressively narrower. Stunning!

    So that was Purnululu - so glad we did it, 26 water crossings in and 26 water crossings out. Bucket list ticked!    Leia mais

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    Windjana Gorge & Tunnel Creek

    5 de junho de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Windjana Gorge is part of the Kimberley "barrier reef", limestone deposits left behind after the great inland sea departed a few millennia ago. One picture includes the fossilised remains of a crustacean left behind from the Devonian Period (about 350million years ago). The Gorge walk is glorious- sandy and shaded, giving a sub-tropical feel with the beauty of massive limestone cliffs and River views on either side. Freshwater crocs are literally everywhere but are so shy there is no way you could get near enough for them to be a problem.

    Tunnel Creek, an amazing underground water system. Once home to Jandamurra, an aboriginal warrior who defied white settler's incursions into his country in the late 1800's. A walk through Tunnel Creek requires a torch, the dexterity to wade through chilling water up to waist deep (in Rosie's case), and to accept that you are sharing the waterway with freshwater crocodiles and a cave ceiling pock- a-dotted with bats. Not to mention a 1.5km return trip underground. Something special!    Leia mais

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    Broome

    14 de junho de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Had a great time here - it's an interesting town, industrial yet reliant on tourism for sure. Of course Cable Beach packs them in, so the shire doesn't actually need to try too hard to attract visitors. This is reflected in their exhorbitant park fees! Luckily we'd heard on the grapevine of a cheap place in the industrial area and spent a week on a worksite in a huge shed. Absolutely perfect, not pretty but very clean with power, shower and toilet. A sociable setting with the other campers there and run by a really nice bloke who couldn't do enough for us including providing us with frozen mango from his own orchard. Unfortunately the council shut him down while we were there; not surprising of course but annoying just the same. Again, luckily we were on our last day anyway when told the news.

    Broome held a number of attractions for us. We caught up with Murray & Ron who are travelling the same road albeit much faster, so it was great timing to be meeting in Broome where we shared a few beers, dinners and sunsets!

    We spent a great deal of time choosing Rosie's pearl, an exercise in fast footwork, research and dedication to the mission that was truly rewarded when she found "the one". They say that the pearl finds you and that is so accurate it's spooky; also expensive. It was an incredibly special journey that included a trip to a pearl farm to learn a bit more before committing. Worth every moment! ❤️

    Cable Beach was an entirely awesome sight - the powdery white sand is devastatingly beautiful when paired with THAT water. Apparently it's the limestone in the area that gives this stretch of Indian Ocean its glorious azure tone. The coconuts, the sunsets, the camels, the hippies and the surprisingly freezing water all create a mood peculiar to this wonderful piece of heaven - you just need to tilt your face to the sun, breathe in deep and smile.

    Witnessing the natural phenomenon known as
    "Staircase to the Moon" was our other highlight. 🌝Sadly we didn't have the tripod so no photos of our own except what the smartphone could produce but to watch this huge orange moon slowly emerge over Roebuck Bay was just a magical thing. As the moon rises, the beams hit the sand flats left behind from the outgoing tide, creating a "staircase" effect. I've never seen anything so serenely beautiful. Shame about having to share it with five hundred randoms all jabbering and flashing away.

    Thank you Broome for some wonderful memories. We now prepare to leave The Kimberley region, an area we absolutely love. Onto The Pilbara region for a whole new set of adventures!    Leia mais

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    Eighty Mile Beach and other spots

    17 de junho de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    A couple of days to relax with a rod on this wide, seemingly endless shell beach. The catch of choice up here his King Threadfin Salmon - we both managed a pan size keeper each so won't complain.

    We detoured to Dampier because no way were we going to miss paying our respects to Red Dog at the memorial erected by locals in his memory. A wonderful outback legend that warms the heart...

    We spend two nights at Whim Creek Hotel, a great little pub in the middle of nowhere that comes up it hits own pool, beer garden and cocky/peacock residents. Upmarket pub grub for such an out if the way place too! Sadly during the night the van took on a very definite 'lean' to one side. Confused were we until venturing out in daylight to discover a seriously flat tire. Still, if that's the worst thing to happen on this trip we'll be pretty happy.    Leia mais

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    Ningaloo Coast

    24 de junho de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We arrived at Osprey Bay campground and got ourselves ready for two weeks of sun, snorkelling and sand. Picture perfection every day with the temperature a nice 26-27 degrees. Our camp spot gave us fabulous views over the bay, with happy hour sunsets 🌅 over the water becoming a habit that will be hard to give up! Of course nothing's perfect - the wind was annoying at times, especially those "beastly easterlies" - so we were grateful for the annexe at least. We also managed to pick a time when the tides were a bit dodgy so the fishing wasn't as promising as it might have been. I did manage some decent squid and Graham pulled up a few octopuses 🐙, gar, leather jackets, dart, silver whiting and an impressive puffer fish as well. Only the squid made it to the plate.

    The snorkelling was amazing fun, despite the odd shark or two hanging around. There are a few different spots along this coast that are just stunning, Turquoise Bay and The Oyster Stacks in particular. Proximity to shore means even kids or less able swimmers can get out there and have a look. Words can't really do justice to the experience of getting close to an amazing array of corals, colour-drenched tropical 🐟, turtles, giant lobsters (not to be confused with the giant prawn at Exmouth), stingrays and even the odd shark.

    The Ningaloo ticked a box and we're so glad we did it. It also means that from now on we head South, leaving the last of the tropics (and thongs/tshirt days) behind us. 😖    Leia mais

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  • Graham n RosieCaravan Capers, WAGraham n Rosie
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    Carnarvon Space and Technology Station

    9 de julho de 2017, Austrália ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Carnarvon as a township gained prominence in the sixties and it has an interesting history. The tracking station was a vital cog for the Apollo space missions, culminating with the 1969 Apollo 11 mission which captured the attention of the whole world. It was only one small step for us to redirect our itinerary and drop in to the space centre - the satellite dish dominates the skyline so it's kind of difficult to miss.

    The memories certainly come flooding back as we revisit that moment in time, courtesy of the television broadcast of that historic day which was beamed around the world. There was much to see and do over the two hours we spent there, including experiencing the confines of a simulated Mercury space capsule. Enclosed in such a small space you are taken through the 7 minute launch sequence. On this occasion the vibration special effects were faulty so I guess we failed to launch and maybe just as well. We did have fun in the kids section, playing old school space invaders and having a go at other cool stuff like the "how steady is your hand electric wire " game. 😀👾    Leia mais

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