I'm Back, and in One Piece LOL

Computers too difficult to get too over the past few days but kept running notes each night on the lap top so will try and keep things in chronological order - may take several goes as you may atrophy from sitting too long reading otherwise LOL. Why am I home a day early you may well ask.. I imagine Mum and Clive will have been watching the weather out here - we were sitting at Kalbarri last night and the weather report came on the tv (next to the kitchen where we were cooking) foretelling galeforce winds, hail, 100+k winds on the way so there really was no contest!. Anyway, I digress. I have just quickly looked at my last post and realise I said I had been to the Dawes gorge twice - the second and much easier walk was to the WEANO gorge in case any of you are out there plotting your next intrepid camping trip to the North West. So - excerpts from my notes!

After my great walk Mk 2, that night we packed a certain amount of stuff away as we had a a600+k trip the following day. Had another ‘hotwater bottle’ for bed and luckily the temp was not as cold either – I have a feeling it was above 0o at least LOL and another good nights sleep, so much so, I was able to take my jumper off during the night – yay.

The day dawned bright and warm and after breakfast and quick clean, the cars were loaded up and we were on our way again. We stopped several times on the way into Tom Price to take photos of wild flowers (I have become a wild flower spotter LOL). LA had spotted some small pink flowers the previous day and she wanted a photo of them and then the WMH spotted a deeper pinky flower that had not been seen before. Then, I wanted to take photos of some of the mountains – the scenery was truly epic in its magnificence and you have to wonder what momentous movement of the earth’s crust had caused the range that went for miles. The rock here is very different to NZ as ours is mainly volcanic in nature or glacial leftovers. The rock here, apart from being reddy brown is compressed in layers upon layers – you will have to see the photos as I cannot do it justice with words. Because we had spent a fair amount of time taking photos and time was marching on, the decision was made to take a short cut on a gravel road that would take 80ks off our journey. No worries LOL. I had visions of my trip back in the day to Palmerston North when friend Annette and I took a shortcut because it measured shorter on the map!!!! (Ended up on a virtual goat track and nearly went over a cliff off the gravel road as we rounded a corner too fast). However, this was a piece of cake, there were a few dips as we crossed river beds (dry – only wet in floods) and mostly it was smoother than the road to Tardun. The walkie talkie is a real boon as the lead car can send road info back to the car behind such as safe times to pass someone ahead, tight corners, huge dips in the road etc. Plus there is the ablity to bandy comments to and fro about the scenery or anything else that takes your fancy which has added to the hilarity of several occassions along the way.

We arrived at a place called Nanaturra Roadhouse for lunch. We debated buying lunch but at $5.95 for a pottle of chips and $12 for an ordinary hamburger, we once again had a picnic lunch out of the car before heading on the road to Exmouth. There was great excitement when we saw 4 emus on the side of the road – even though they looked a trifle manky like they were moulting. We also saw numerous eagles and hawks, and the odd dead beast they feeding off. I have to admit sleeping a good amount of the way or resting with my eyes closed as it is the way I travel long distances best. The landscape changed dramatically once we left the Pilbaras and the Hammersley Ranges behind and moved to the coastal Exmouth.

Exmouth Caravan Park – we just went from one extreme to the other. This place is relatively large, powered tent sites again – yay- internet – yay, showers with hot water, yay and a laundry with industrial sized machines, hoorah indeed. First job was laundry for 11 people and what a job that was. Lots of pink clothes (from the two youngest girls) to handscrub before we even got them to the machine as everything had red dust stains from Kirijini. I felt like I was back in boarding school again as I handscrubbed numerous items with SARD soap. We used a whole bottle of stain remover as well but oh, the joy to come back to the tent for dinner and with clean, warm, clothes.

Our site is a corner site just up from the ablution block and we quickly set up on arrival before the laundry mission. Being here, the temp has risen considerably so was able to get out of boots and I was wearing jandles at long last without any fear of getting frost bite. After dinner I had a shower and it was still so warm, I went to bed in a thermal top and pj bottoms only, and did not need the blanket during the night. The joy to sleep relatively unfettered instead of feeling wrapped like a mummy in some desert tomb. Camping certainly helps you to appreciate the small joys in life LOL.
When I set my tent up this time, I also changed the lie of my mattress and instead of sleeping head and foot at each opening (very bad fung shui as that is the coffin position LOL), and I now have the mattress going crossways which gives me room to step into the tent and much better storage/access to all my goods for tidying and reclassifying as the need arises. Even better, my tent has an electric cord away from the power box and I am able to sit up in bed to write my diary and play the odd game of cards again. BLISS. It remained warm all during the night although it was windy – it was music to my ears and reminded me of home for some strange reason (Waiuku home LOL in windy Franklin district).

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Amazingly enough, I was first up this morning (apart from walks to the loo) and felt very 'hidee hi campers' as I got water for the billy and put it on the stove for our first hot drink of the day. I have since had breakfast – had another shower and washed my hair (because I could) and am now sitting outside my tent working on the computer. I am in bare feet, Ranger Stacey shirt and jeans, though am ready to change to something cooler. More laundry is being done and we are having a general cleanup and sort before the rest of the days activities.

I forgot to mention that the camp has a swimming pool and they have a movie on the lawn at 7.30pm at night!!!!!!. Woke up to cockatoos doing loops of the camp, playing tag this morning and a couple of spinnifex pigeons poodling about our tents. This camp wastes no space so everyone very cheek by jowel – nothing like your own complete corner of the compound at Awhitu LOL. People very friendly and cheery about – some bloke came and chatted to the men last night about J & LA’s tent set up. Bloke right behind us this morning saw me on the ground trying to get a photo of the pigeons and told me what they were called. Not sure whether it has been the extra walking or lots of sleep but I am now able to move again without pain and sit down and get up from a variety of chairs without clenching teeth or others parts of my body to be able to move. The men folk are back from the laundry so will stop and see what’s up next.

Had a great day today. We drove into Ningaloo shopping centre to get a few provisions. Bought some postcards, cheese, diet coke, olive oil and balsamic vinegar – just the necessaries of life - LOL. Also got some olive bread and bread rolls from the bakery for lunch. We then headed to the Cape Range National Park and Yardies Creek in particular. Yardie Creek is a tidal gorge, home to the rare black footed rocak wallabies. The tidal gorge has not always been open to the sea as there have been years when the sand has built up and blocked it from the main tide. Across from the accessible side of the creek is a wildlife sanctuary. Got to the beach and had a picnic lunch as it was past 2pm. Some of the troops went for a swim and after lolling on the beach for a bit, I decided I was going to do the walk to the lookout – (I know, go figure – maybe it was the kahki clobber again but it felt so good to be moving without aches again LOL). The WMH and LA were on a flower finding mission, taking photos as they went following the same path as me. I got up to the lookout and read the info on how the place was formed – all very interesting. While I was standing there a heron flew across the creek and I could see fish in the water beneath me. Where is a fishing rod when you need one?!!!!!!! On the way back OMG, there was a kangaroo with a joey just to one side of where we were walking. I got to about 8 feet away, trying to take a video of it and then there was another two and then another two further on back towards the beginning of the track. They appeared to have no fear and were out grazing. Tried to take several videos of them – all very exciting indeed. Got back to the beach and my face felt like it was burning even though I had put suntan lotion on. We linked up with the others and headed back to the camp. We hadn’t gone far and there were wallabies and kangaroos on the side of the road everywhere. Unfortunately, one dived out in front of us – the WM clipped it and apparently it did several rolls on the road before leaping off into the bushes again – no marks on the car (I'm hoping it was a kangaroo and not one of the rare black footed wallabies, otherwise they may be closer to extinction than they think - going too fast to see the colour of its feet LOL). I think we saw at least 10 dead bodies (kangaroos or wallabies) on the side of the road before we got back to Ningaloo. We stopped at a couple of spots on the way back to check out different parts of the coast line until we got to Vlaming Lighthouse, from which you can see the end of the spit and both sides of the ocean as Exmouth juts into the sea with Exmouth Gulf on one side and Ningaloo Marine Park/Indian Ocean on the other. Just below the lighthouse further up the point is a naval communications place. The defence property went for miles and had serious government notices up warning about people trespassing on the property every few metres along the fences. While at the lighthouse, we watched the sunset and tried to capture it on film. There was no cloud so it was pretty much the sun on its own going down and it was very quick. I am reliably told that cloud makes for better sunset shots as cloud gives you all the different colours. We were well ready to return to base by then so continued the drive home, dinner (I managed to post another blog) and a reasonably early night. I had another shower – because I could LOL and am now cosy in bed ready to charge batteries for tomorrows adventures.

....Looking at the map, after the event - Exmouth is part of a peninsular and by going to Yardie Creek we virtually went right round the entire penisular for those trying to follow my meanderings on the map.

Will write more tomorrow. Have had blissful hot shower tonight once I got home and have done one load of washing. Its 12.21am so will head for bed and continue the rest of the travels tomorrow - the best is yet to come LOL.