Thursday 24th May Somewhere before Tunnel Creek
Here was the rest area on which we stayed for the night.
We started seeing our first baobab called in Australia “baob” and typical from the Kimberley region in which we were now.
We saw also huge termite mounds like this one.
We passed gorgeous rivers, like that one.
On the bank of this river were some ibis like this one.
Here is a typical picture of the Kimberley region, baob, cows and termite mound.
Another baob, close to the road we were driving on.
We took left, an unsealed road, with the idea of going to Tunnel Creek and if possible to Windjana Gorge. After about an hour though, we realised that our wicked camper was not made for that road. On top of that, we realised we would not have enough petrol in the tank to make it to Windjana gorge and back until Fitzroy Crossing, the next petrol stop. Ideally, we should have driven to Derby, refilled there, and then taken the road from above, right to Windjana Gorge, then to Tunnel Creek and off to Fitzroy Crossing in that order. We stopped a 4-wheel drive high clearance that was coming our way, and checked with them. It was an Australian couple in their late fifties who had a great car, 2 spare wheels, extra-fuel, and a GPS to know the exact distance they were covering. Well equipped for this kind of road, not like us, but hey we were newbies, and doing the best we could…So we turned back. Luckily, we had spotted some other little rocks that looked interesting to explore and went for that. We didn’t even know the name of that little area. According to the map, it could be the Brockling Gorge? Maybe, or maybe not.
In any case, it was beautiful to explore too. We climbed the rocks seen here on this picture.
From there was a stunning view over the rocks and the plain. We could also see a little lake below.
While walking down to that little lake, we could see the rocks from closer.
This area seemed perfectly appropriate for prehistoric people to live in, and I could imagine people making a fire here, sleeping there, painting on those stones.
Close to the river, we met Jenny and John, a couple in their sixties who were from Tasmania, and had lived in the Kimberley many years. They had installed their car and chair next to the river to sleep there that night, and we chose a spot somewhere close to the rocks too to spend the night.
We missed the sunset again, but were rewarded as usual with the after-sunset beautiful colours.
Friday 25th May
Here was the first thing I saw while looking outside the window half-asleep at 6.30am.
We had breakfast and during breakfast a tique bite Francesca. Beeeeee.
It was easy to remove with the biggest of the two tique-removal little fork I had bought in France before to leave for 3 euros! Very hand stuff, and so light to carry. Never go travelling without! You never know!
We drove to Fitzroy Crossing, where we refilled the tank. There were a lot of black kite eagles hovering over the petrol station and some Aboriginal people in the background sitting.
Here is one black kite just hovering above us.
We took the road going to Geckie Gorge. On the way to there, we saw a new bird we had not seen either before, called a brolga.
We went for a walk along the river. The scenery was really green.
There were lots of birds flying around and we saw a bee-eater eating a dragonfly.
The bee-eater is really a colourful bird.
We walked in the opposite direction and chilled out seating in front of this beautiful view over the river.
We came back to the parking where we had some lunch. We saw this tiny bird chasing the black-kite. Brave bird! Maybe his nest was in danger and he was trying to tell the black-kite not to come to close. The black-kite kept flying around, ignoring him as if it was just a little fly!
We went with about 20 other people on an hour boat ride at 3pm. Here was some of the landscape.
We saw a lot of freshies, the small crocodiles like this one.
We saw also bird nests under rocks.
Some of the scenery was dramatic high cliffs of various colours.
After that boat ride, we hit the road again and missed the sunset again, but enjoyed the after-sunset colours.
We stopped on a rest area called Mary Pool, on the way to Halls Creek.
We made some cool crepes, one with the shape of a moon face.
It was really windy and freezing. My throat was better but I could feel that the cold was not away yet, and on top of that I had a small diarrhea. Yep, even in Australia, or maybe some reminiscence of something from Asia. Ma euh!!!!
Tomorrow, driving North to Wyndham!
Pom explores 