DAY 64 BACK IN BROOME

2 May 2008

DAY 64 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip

BROOME - AGAIN

A brilliant dawn greeted us this morning. Interesting night last night as around midnight I got up and found that the lights were not working. Hubby got up and found that the solar regulator had switched off the power to our freezer and lights. A bit of panic but he got it going. Nothing lost - everything fine with the stuff in the freezer.

By 7.00am we were on the road back to Broome. First stop was to get the breaks checked. After that was done we booked into Palm Grove Caravan Park again – very nice place. I stayed behind to updated the blog whilst he went to the auto electrician. All batteries are charging fine but the fuse that he could not move is actually bolted in and the screw at the back had become loose at the volt meter. Hurray – problem solved. Then he went back to the All Volts place and they changed the regulator under warranty as it should not have shut down when it did.

Restocked and refuelled for the big trip ahead. Gibb River Road is open but some bits off it are still closed. Tomorrow we are going to recheck which roads are open to decide our final direction. We will either go via Purnulu, Kununurra to the Gibb or Derby, Gibb then Kununurra. The rivers and creeks are up and the advisory is not to cross the rivers unless the depth and velocity have been checked. Neither is keen to walk a crossing in croc country.

After a swim in the lovely pool here we went to Divers Tavern for some great ribs.

Tomorrow we will recheck the courthouse markets as the bustle and atmosphere was so great last time. The markets on the stairway to the moon nights were also full of people and lots of food stalls but not as many crafts stalls.

DAYS 45 - 53 BROOME & JINDABYNE

13-21 April 2008

DAYS 45 - 53 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip

BROOME & JINDABYNE

Broome

On his first day hubby got up at 5.00am to have a dawn trike flight. He found it very exhilarating and would love to get his license to fly one and would definitely love to have one.

He had an opportunity to fly it and thought it was absolutely fabulous.

The views from the trike were great.

During the week he got the tyres changed, the car serviced, the pop top scissors and windscreen fixed, the electrics re-checked and a new battery charger, as well as the odd repair/maintenance work done on the Oka. In between he explored Broome and got to know it very well.

In the evenings he would go to watch what he referred to as the ‘circus’ at Cable Beach and enjoyed the sunsets.

The circus was in reference to the 4WDs and camels trying to pass each other both ways on a narrow sandy rocky track.

On the last weekend he went out on a fishing charter that was an early birthday present from his family. He caught several snapper that is now frozen ready for dinner one night.



Jindabyne

On the Sunday I drove down to Jindabyne. On the way the rich colours of autumn framed the roadway in many places. The landscape is so different from the one we are travelling in.

I was warmly welcomed by my daughter’s family and my youngest son’s family as they had come down as well from Tura Beach. I enjoyed cuddles with the three grandchildren that were there that weekend.

I spent my week enjoying my new grandson as well as his older sister and giving a hand where I could. I even had a little time to quilt. I finished making his bassinet quilt. So he now has his little capsule quilt

and a bassinet quit.

The weather whilst mild was cold enough to warrant having the fireplace going all day and night. What a change from the heat. Before I knew it the week was over and my son-in-law drove me back to Canberra for my marathon trip back to Broome.

I left Jindabyne at 6.00am and got to Broome at 8.00pm – 16 hours later. I was exhausted and back in humid weather.

DAYS 42 - 44 BROOME

10-12 April 2008

DAYS 42 - 44 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip

BROOME

Thursday 10 April

After a very humid night we slowly packed up and made our way to Broome. 
The road between Pt Headland and Broome, if unbroken by a stop, can be very tedious.  It was great that after Barn Hill the landscape did change.   Purple, range of greens, bronze gold and orangy browns appeared in the landscape.

Then changed some more.

And lots of cattle in one area – haven’t seen this before on the trip.

On our way in to Broome we stopped at Mango Place and tried some Mango wine.  A very different and unusual taste.  We then had a most beautifully refreshing smoothie.  After stocking up on some mustards and mango oil we continued on.  On arriving in Broome we did a circuit of the camp grounds.  Although Roebuck Bay Caravan Park had been recommended by many as it is right at Town Beach we decided against it as you couldn’t swim in the bay and it had no swimming pool.  In this weather you need to be able to cool down.  As  Min is staying put here for 10 days whilst I fly back to Jindabyne to give our daughter a hand we wanted to set up camp where he would have an opportunity cool off.  So we decided on Palm Grove Caravan Park.

We set up and went into town.  I found that Broome is actually quite spread out.  Whilst there is a central area there are two shopping centres.  One has Coles, the other Woolworths and Target.  The Information Centre is beautifully set up inside and out. I liked the handout they give everyone that has the map of Broome and most things listed on it from tour operators to local businesses. 

Hubby contacted an auto electrician and managed to get an appointment for the next day.  We drove around to Gantheaune Point and watched a beautiful sunset from here.  The rock formations must continue from Barn Hill to here as rock composition and colours were similar and just as stunning. 

A lighthouse dominates the landscape.

This is the place from which at a very, very low tide one can scramble down the rocks and walk out some distance to see ancient dinosaur prints.  However, as they are not easily accessible a cast has been made of them for peoples to see them without scrambling down rocks.

After watching the sunset we decided to treat ourselves to a meal out and went to the Divers Tavern at Cable Beach.  We shared a lovely meal of spare ribs – it was huge.  Just don’t know how one person could have eaten it.  After so many weeks of cooking it was nice to have a night off from the task.

Friday 11 April

This morning hubby rushed off to the auto electrician.  The solar regulator was found to be faulty.  So a new regulator was duly put in.  We should now be able to run everything for 2 full days without running the engine.

Whilst he was at the auto electrician’s I explored the Boulevard Shopping Centre.  We then met up explored a bit of China town and went to several galleries. 

At the Monsoon Gallery the work of several artists blew us away.  The 3D collages of Leon Pericles were absolutely magnificent incorporating various materials and textures including fine drawings, prints, relics, shells, coral, fabric.  Marilyn Tabatznik’s sculpted very solid chair made out of pulped police reports which was then treated as a 3D canvas was stunning and very rich in colour and texture through the iconic images she uses from many world religions.  Ingrid Windrom’s “Boabs and Kapoh” (print on canvas) captured the richness of colours in the region and was just beautiful.  Julie Silvester’s 3 pastel works captured the energy and movement of the sea brilliantly.

At the Broome 6 Gallery we saw some Wanjina paintings as well as work of Kevin Waina whose work we were familiar with.  Had a very interesting conversation with the Gallery Manager who gave us some pointers for our trip north.  The Geiko Gallery presented works of Aboriginal artist from the Western Desert, some of whom had works in the recent Pupunya Exhibition at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.

We then went to Denise Walker’s extremely colourful gallery.  Her works are vibrant and focus on the Kimberley in colour and inspiration.  As one walked in her dramatic depiction of the Staircase to the Moon greeted you.  I wish I could have etaken it home.  Her artist statement really captured it and I quote it as presented at the gallery.
“. . . work about capturing light and the feeling of the immense vastness of this land.  I want people to breathe in the healing, vibrant colours and feel how it lights the spirits and sense of well being.”

We finally returned to the caravan park for a swim and to chill out.  The charger was put on to charge the batteries.  Watch this space!

Checked our emails and a friend has sent hubby a very informative article
on car electrics.  So I didn’t have access to the computer whilst the article was studied in great detail.



Saturday 12 April

I packed this morning for a short trip to Jindabyne to give our daughter a hand.  Then we went to the Saturday market at the Courthouse.  What a hive of activity.  Indulged in some lovely mango juice whilst looking around.  There was an eclectic mixture of stalls.  Some were professionals selling their high quality wares – jewellery, photographs whilst others were selling run of the mill items.  There were very few produce stalls.

We had parked our car next to a Boab tree and hubby has been eyeing of the boab nuts as he would love to carve one.

The day again is hot and humid.  So humid that I decided not to change until I got to the airport so that I did not have to fly in damp clothes.  I flew from Broome to Sydney.  The plane flew over the Great Sandy Desert, Simpson Desert and the Channel Country.  It was very interesting watching the landscape unfold from the air.  I wish I had a camera with stronger magnification.   From Sydney I flew to Canberra where I was met by my girlfriend.   I spent the night with her family and over a late cuppa her family and I caught up with each other’s news.  It was strange coming to Canberra and not going home.  Tomorrow morning I will be making my way to Jindabyne whilst hubby battles the humidity in Broome.