Thursday, September 29th, Kakadu, Northern Territory

Greetings!

After almost two weeks without internet, and a week struggling with a Sim-carded phone, we now can send text messages (with a "0011" U.S. prefix), and if we find a working wifi, we might be able to send photos.  We were able to send a few from a cruise up a rocky canyon a few days ago by uploading them to Pat's Facebook page.  Thank you for the comments you put there.  It appears you liked the 300 million year old sandstone sediments as much as we did.

We're visiting lots of rock art sites, taking small aircraft flights, staying in campgrounds with pools and restaurants, and stopping at cultural centers operated by Aboriginal clans.  Getting sunburned and attacked by flies.  Heading next with our RV to a town named Katherine, and another campground near a cultural center.  

Still trying to load up Google Albums, but it may have to wait until we fly to the East coast city of Cairns (about a week).

To see more of the photos taken this week, click on Sep 29th.        

Friday, Sep 16th, Emma Gorge Resort

Greetings!

Today was a morning cruise on a stretch of the Chamberlain River, and an afternoon of lounging around the Resort pool.  And with water temperature at 76, it's a lot like a large bathtub.  

These guys are seven-spotted archers, and the spit several feet very accurately (dislodging insects off anywhere).  Holding a bit of food off the side of the boat will get your hand targeted, and the fish rewarded

To see all of the photos taken today  click on Friday, Sep 16th.

Thursday, Sep 15th, Emma Gorge Resort

Greetings!    

Another long cruise gave  us a rich understanding of the many decades long work using dams and lakes to tame out-of-control flooding and bring agricultural bonuses to ex-cattle stations in Western Australia.

Making our way north to the top of the state, and west into small national park where creative tour company pioneers have developed the kind of resort they'd want to run.

To see all of the photos taken today, click on Thursday, Sep 15th, Emma Gorge Resort.

Wednesday, Sep 14th, Kununurra

Greetings!

This post will recap the hikes and experiences that occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday.  With no wifi at the Bungle Bungles, but the most delightful campside accommodations, we flew in a helicopter over and walked through some of the most awe-inspiring rock canyons imaginable.

Back at the Savannah Lodge, we spent more time in a pool than we have in a long time.  The water was 75 degrees (fahrenheit), and it made the 100+ air temperature just tolerable. 

The gorges we're hiking are eroded 350 million year-old limestone reefs which have eroded down colorful cracks into high walls of alternating layers of porous rock.   While walking on conglomerate boulders is often a real balancing challenge for old legs, the resulting scenes are beautiful.  

I want to let Steve and others know that the food where we are staying is superior.  The staff within Outback Spirit locations is often imported from Micronesian resorts badly impacted by the Virus.  Fiji and Vanuatu crews have been employed, and have brought their ingredients and skills to the table.  My usual evaluation of breakfast's scrambled eggs, croissants, and orange juice is placed our camps among the highest, except for the lack of ketchup (anti-sugar nutritionists abound).

To see all of the photos we took yesterday and today, click on; Tuesday, Sep 13th, Bungle Bungles, and Wednesday, Sep 14th, Kununurra

 

Monday, Sep 12th, Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles)

 

Greetings!

We started the morning with a cruise on the Fitzroy River, checking out 350 million year old reef escarpments that illustrate the massive flooding which swamps this area and grinds everything to a halt during the wet season.  At the end of October, this part of Australia closes to all but those that swim well and can survive until the rains stop in the Dry season.

During the rest of the day, we drove to our accommodations for the next two nights: Purnululu National Park.  Commonly referred to a Bungle Bungles, The Savannah Lodge, built by Outback Spirit, will serve as our stay while we explore the increasing popular geological wonder.

To see the photos we took today, click on Monday, Sep 12th, Bungle Bungles

Sunday, Sep 11th, Fitzroy Crossing

 Greetings!

Today was a long driving day.  From our coastal resort, we drove inland, visiting a Baobob tree used as a short-term prison in Derby.  

We then drove the Gibb River Road to the Windjama Gorge, where fresh water crocodiles sunned themselves along the riverbanks.  Some of our friends followed this with a walk deep into the Tunnel Creek National Park lava tunnel, laden with flashlights, sturdy water boots, and intrepid balancing skills.  Afterward, we checked into the Fitzroy River Lodge.

To see the photos we took today, click on Sunday, Sep 11th, Fitzroy Crossing

Saturday, Sep 10th, Broome

 

Greetings!

Today began our latest adventure in the South Pacific.  Ninety-four days in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Ocean.  Our Outback Spirit Guide/Driver (John) picked us up after breakfast at the Cable Beach Resort (the site of an undersea communications cable between Australia and Bali), and drove us to the airport, north of the town.  

Stopping first at the local Japanese Cemetery, dedicated to Japanese who died in the area's long historical pearl shell industry, to those who died in support of Allied interests in WWII, and to those who worked in the mining industry for the many decades it has extracted ore from this land,  

The nineteen of us on this tour were instructed by our pilot on flight safety, and on the day's itinerary.  In a Cessna Seaplane similar to those without sled that I helped maintain while in Vietnam, we flew to the famous Horizontal Falls 100 miles north of us for the afternoon.  We had lunch, swam next to sharks, and rode a jet boat through a narrow passage in the tidal flow in which a million liters of sea per second moves during a four-hour period each day.

To see all of the photos we took today, click on Saturday, Sep 10th, Broome.

Friday, September 9th, Broome, Western Australia

 

Greetings!

This is the sunset we celebrated, after chasing it across the Pacific Ocean for 22 hours to Singapore, and then waiting five hours before flying for five more hours to Perth, and then waiting seven hours before flying two and a half more hours to Broome.  Checking into the Kimberly Explorers Lodge to get a day's rest before Outback Spirit took us to the Cable Beach Resort on the north side of Broome.    

 

We'll be here tonight and tomorrow night, using it as a base for lots of adventures.  Hopefully, more photos will follow (of more than just wallabies in the grass).