To awaken to the birds chirping and the serenity of water moving on a lake by an oh so gentle breeze as the sun rises at your back bringing with it much needed warmth and the varying shadows on the water, has got to be one of life’s most treasured moments – not to mention the fortune of not being attacked by ‘salties’ while asleep.

Our last two days across the Kimberley. What an adventure in the outback. Beautiful landscape, amazing gorges, fabulous sunsets, interesting challenges, crossing of paths of many like-minded persons, sharing, learning, laughing – all in all, not a bad holiday.

We stop at a camp site just outside of Katherine for the night and share in the beauty of nature as we finally get a glimpse of the black Cockatoo and marvel, once again, in the sun setting over the land.

Having arrived late into the camp last night, we are now awakening to our real surroundings. We are at the edge of a highway but graced with a bbque pit, tables and chairs and yes facilities – with a gas station at our beck and call. Even with this wonderous site, we pull ourselves away to get an early move on to our next destination – The Bungle Bungle.

What an amazing show of rock formation – all the tour books are right, pictures just do not do it justice, but I certainly tried well onto my 2000th picture for the trip. We sit and snack while pondering the towering pillars of the Cathedral gorge surrounding a pool of water, imagining what this place must look like earlier on in the dry season when there is much more water. And to think that we may have missed this.

Leaving the Bungle Bungle, we head onto Kununurra trying our best to reach before dark – and just in time we do, pulling into what is one of the best campsites thus far as we find ourselves seated on the lake enjoying the lights across the water.

Mention of ‘salties’ come up (salt water crocodiles) and we cautiously set the tents a bit back away from the water line, not enough though to avoid the creatures should they decide to visit.

Ah well, the adventure continues.

So our day starts off as any other – Early morning rise all saddled up and ready to go, across creeks, wild fields and the corral – quiet, cool, with only the clip clopping of the horses’ hooves and Roger’s rattling on and on with Sam, the cowboy.

We’re on our way to our next destination so a quick breakfast and oops, a flat. No worries, been there done that. Just as we are setting off to Emma gorge and the Bungle Bungle – SCREECH – a sudden change of plans. As I stand peacefully across from the workshop where the tyre is being repaired, I witness a large sun umbrella being picked up by the wind and flown onto our car cracking the windscreen. Surreal, everything happening in slow motion. Pause, a long pause.

Let’s start over….
A quick breakfast and oops, a flat. No worries, been there done that. As the flat is being repaired we enjoy a quiet peaceful lunch at the steakhouse restaurant in ElQ as our chauffeur waits to drive us to Emma gorge while our car, with the broken windscreen, is taken to Thrifty 120 km away, to be repaired courtesy ElQ.

Emma gorge, like all other gorges is filled with rocks or rather boulders and ends with an amazing waterfall and pool – this one lined with ferns and water so clear and cold it’s unbelievable.

People of Australia
Harry and Kay
“We are retired and have been travelling Aussie for 4 years now. I don’t know how I ever worked 8 hours a day. Of course from time to time we take a holiday from our travels and spend some time in our home on Cairns, but this is pretty much our life.”

We enjoy our peaceful surroundings and await the return of our car which finally arrives at 5.15pm. In spite of the pending sunset and darkness, we decide to move ahead with our plan to get as close to the Bungle Bungle as possible. Two hours of driving along the Great Northern Highway passing at least 10 road trains and very few other vehicles, we arrive at a campsite – well a gas station posing as a campsite and just in time, too, as well as the guy says ” I was just about to close. Set up and see me in the morning”. And in two twos, tents are set and we crash.

We’ll get a closer look at our surroundings in the morning.

Which gorge is the best? We’re at serious odds with this one. Each one brings its own unique ‘specialness’ – waterfalls, tall sheer sides, cool swimming, flora and fauna, sunset worthy. Hmm we’ll see after ElQ and Emma gorge.

“All I really want is a camp site overlooking the river,” says Josh. As we sit very comfortably enjoying the cool breeze and the calls of the flocks of white cockatoos, we notice a clearing on the river. Many campers have left this morning leaving us to revel in the silence and beauty of this place. Further investigations reveal that the spot is not only on the river but, lo and behold, has a fire pit – what more can you wish for.

And so without further ado we ups and move site – well the boys anyway, and it’s quite amusing. I sit, watch and will move when the time is right, ie when there’s nothing for me to take but my glass of wine. Ah well, the Trini etc. nomads.

ElQ gorge provides a most unusual sight with Palm trees lining the gorge, large pandanas spotting the trail and lots and lots of large rocks. Squeezing through the crack of two tall walls of stone using new found rock climbing skills, crossing many small pools of clear refreshing water and finally reaching a small pool at the base of a slim but impressive waterfall, if only because we’ve climbed so far to reach it.

And what’ your best part of the day?

5 minutes of solitude in the hammock in the morning – truly a treat for whoever is lucky enough to snatch it

Climbing the rocks was quite a challenge that once overcome brought a great sense of satisfaction – the rock in the middle was a literally a stumbling block or temporarily anyway. But oh what a spot for swimming and jumping

Ben’s attempt to kiss the rocks – he is definitely the most agile of all of us but so intent on making sure his mum was ok, took his eyes off the trail for a second, slipped and well kissed the rocks with quite a smack.

3 snake sightings – probably poisonous – well in Aussie, it’s 90% in favour of being poisonous.

Reaching the last hoorah – always a triumph

People of Aussie
“I find the Aussies are so friendly and helpful,” says Ben. And that’s really been our experience. “Need some help mate?” – words we hear all the time. Just two seconds under the car and a gentleman strolls up offering assistance. Some wire, a plyers and a newspaper thrown in for reading or bbque purposes later, car is fixed and an Aussie has once again come to the rescue.

The boys are currying beef tonight – personally, my favourite part of the day especially when accompanied by a great sunset.

We awake with the screaming of our Bahamian – “There’s a spider in my tent. Get it out.” Hyperventilation, scampering. “I think it’s poisonous”, jokes one of the boys. More scampering, more hyperventilation. We calm down, we giggle, we get rid of the spider.

We’re now on our way to El Questro. Even though it’s a long haul, deliberations among the group have set us on a path straight to ElQ in an effort to spend more than just one night at our next destination.

7 hours of varying landscape – from dirt road to paved to stone, lead us along the Gibb River Road to our destination. And wow well worth the drive. Horses graze as the sun sets, a Roadhouse with a bar and shop, a restaurant and lots of shady trees. Yes well worth the effort.

What’s your best time today?

That quick morning swim in the Manning Gorge before breakfast – cool refreshing and just invigorating enough to get you through the long haul ahead.

The fabulous panoramic view of the Cockburn mountain range was a stunner. We all gasped and of course made our own contribution to the hippy rock piles and move on. The Trini etc. posse was definitely here.

And simply, some of us are just awed with the facilities at ElQ – just gives you an idea of what we’ve been through over the past few days. “This is what I’ve been looking like for the past few days!”, we comment in sheer disgust. But really who cares.

The really best part of the day however is right now, sharing our ‘best parts of the day’, sipping a glass of wine, Josh teaching Ben to cook a fabulous meal of lamb chops, mashed potatoes and baked beans – laughing, sharing, being. Blessings!

Leaving early with the primary intention of repairing one flat tyre and heading to Manning gorge for the day. Another beautiful day in the Kimberley.

The drive out proves to be even more interesting with a different perspective on the views coming in and even more adventurous as we encounter another set back – not only time wise but the budget is hit BOOM, as the kids would say. Yes you guessed it another flat tyre. Roger shakes his head, Cusho style, and we move on, thanking our lucky stars that we’re on the way anyway – always looking on the bright side of things.

‘Over the range’ is happy to see us – a double whammy – who would have thought.

People of Australia
Set at the back of the thriving business of repairing tyres on the Gibb River Road, is a beautiful outback house, no walls, a creek running alongside the garden, shady trees with an outdoor suite and BBQ pit. The water comes right up to land, no flooding in the wet season, cool breezes all year round, and the peace and quiet of a lifetime. “I’m glad you like it”, he says, “cuz I love it”.

We arrive at Manning gorge camp site to another beautiful spot, near the facilities and more importantly just a two minute walk from what turns out to be yet another breath-taking natural swimming pool. Crossing the first part in a small boat to save the valuables, we make our way to the gorge through the rocky terrain. And oh what an inspiring sight, complete with waterfalls, relaxing tanning spots and of course refreshing water to cool off from the never ending heat of the Kimberley by day.

To ensure a space at Mornington you must arrive by 11.00 am, radio in at the entrance and secure a spot – why? – Mornington is a 300 acre wild life reserve and the campsite is 88 km off the main road – a cool 2 hour drive inward. So we arrive at 2.15 pm, try to radio in unsuccessfully, but in true Roger style we venture forth anyway. Lots and lots of prayers later we arrive after 4 and calmly ask for a spot. Thank you Jesus. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”, quotes my husband.

We spend the following day at Dimond gorge canoeing, watching birds and sitting on a magnificent plateau at Sir John’s gorge gazing at the sunset. The best time of day. A great end to another great day.

People of Australia
We met this couple enjoying the peace and quiet that Sir John’s gorge is famous for. Well it was peaceful and quiet until the Trini etc. posse arrived.
“We’re from Melbourne. We’ve done the Europe trips, Spain, Turkey and Italy. But this is just amazing and right in our own backyard.”

PS: the reason we were late in arriving at Mornington involved a slight mishap common to adventures across the Gibb River road – you guessed it – a flat tyre. And oh we do things in such a grand way, as you can see for yourself. The funny thing is that as we pulled aside to review the damage, a truck pulls up. This, on a road where you see maybe one vehicle crossing every half hour or so. ” We can help you mate. Just 20k after the Mornington turn off. ” Over the range has been fixing types on the Gibb River road sine 1999 – anything suspicious?

Ever wandered through rough undulating terrain, not knowing exactly what you’d find at the end of the way, hoping and praying that at least you’d get some respite from the sweltering heat? Imagine then coming upon a vast open area with an amazing view of a pool of cool clear water, then walking further towards the sound of water falling to find what can only make you gasp in the wonderment of nature.

Bel Gorge brought great pleasure at all levels – cooling off in a sun that now caressed your skin as it warmed you from the crispy water, falls that accelerated your adrenaline as you watch your loved ones risk life to see who could jump from the highest rock, and a great sense of oneness with nature as you reveled in the beauty around you.

No wonder a famous rogue aborigine hid within these walls for three years – fresh water, cool breeze, natural light, serenity personified – great retirement plan, maybe just a bit too much water in the wet season though.

Cruising along the Gibb River road, enjoying the views of changing dessert to green to red hills and rugged countryside with remarkably little vehicles on the road, we are suddenly faced with flashing lights and a hand waving us to stop. You guessed it – police. License check and breathalyzer test later we are once again on our way. Only in Aussie – keeping a check on crime in a friendly civilized way- literally in the middle of nowhere.

With a creek running through it, silent grove campsite offers the peace and quiet needed after a long day’s drive. Add a starry starry night and you have another perfect day in the Kimberley.

The sun rises to another beautiful day, Galahs screeching across the sky and there’s this one bird which barks like a dog and make noises like a monkey – must be some Aussie re-incarnate. Campers leave the site on their way to varying destinations – some to Broome and then across the dessert, others making the same trek we are. Sitting here peacefully as we pack to leave on our journey across the Gibb River Road, heading to Tunnel Creek and very thankful for my blessings, too many to even quantify.

As we speak, the wind blows gently across the field, the overcast skies have made way for the glorious sun. A leisurely walk around the farm reveals a pen of Peacocks, feeding Cockatoos and flocks of what seem like exotic birds, just being – life in North Western Australia.

The Gibb River Road offers pretty much the same sights of dry, arid land in keeping with the terrain throughout the Kimberley. As we approach the Winjanna National Park, you are taken back by the vastness (are we in Australia or what) of the park, driving 20k along a red dirt road to arrive at the campsite. Registration is easy, no. of cars + no. of people = deposit your money in an envelope and choose your site. Luckily for the Aussies, not many Trinis visit this part of the world.

And oh what a beautiful campsite – trees shading the spots, picnic tables, fire pits, facilities – what more could you ask for. But honestly the surrounding gorge is magnificent. A short hike along the gorge reveals the beauty that it is, including the presence of crocodiles swimming peacefully or basking in the sun along the water line.

Camping brings this whole experience to life. Being outdoors gets you closer to everything. The feel of the earth, one with nature, one with the people around you. The negatives turn into positives – the setting up of the campsite brings team work, the 3-hour process of cooking brings lots of laughter and getting to know each other better, the wine and beer – well that just seals off the experience.

People of Australia
Les Thompson – self acclaimed ‘grey nomad’ and a fellow camper, probably in his late 60s visited us this morning. While enjoying the gentle morning breeze waiting for the sun to rise, Les meanders over the see who these foreign looking people were – chatting with us about his travels and giving us a preview of what we’re about the visit with such joy and passion – you’ve gotta love the Aussies – a rugged, warm people, enjoying life and withstanding the test of time.

As the sun rises we get ready for another adventure-filled day.