Month: May 2021

Friday, 21st May 2021.

N.B. POSTED 23RD. WE HAD 6 DAYS WITHOUT INTERNET GOOD ENOUGH TO USE BLOG.

N.B. 2. NO VIDEOS AS INTERNET IS BETTER HERE BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO LOAD VIDEOS.

Most vans are gone by 8am. We remain, waiting for our Saturday morning helicopter flight. A bit of geography. We are at the bottom of a small slope in the ‘shady bottom grove’ adjacent the creek. At the top of the slope is the treeless bitumen camping spot with one small shade shelter with bench and here also are the three toilets. So we have the morning ritual of strolling up the slope/hill for a WC visit. We see this fine beast on the stroll.

Glad I made that bug catcher.

This guy isn’t glad. He is quite ‘inconvenienced.’

Treeless bitumen camping area at the top of the slope. Taken from the toilet block ramp landing.

Us in the bottom shady grove at the bottom of the slope. BEFORE WE MOVE.

All is sweet till about 12 noon when the USB charger on the wall of the van will not charge a phone. Another shady place, so we bite the bullet and shift to the sunniest spot in the limited space. Instant fix and the only minor drawback is we took the connecting up space of the unhitched camper van behind us.

They return and want their van. We manage access for them without moving. That is, I purposely parked away from the treed edge of the park. So there is enough room for him to drive in between the trees and our van.

It gets hotter. Must have something to do with parking in the sun. (Brain surgeon material. That’s me!) By mid afternoon the sun has sunk behind trees again but hopefully there will be enough charge for tonight.

We talk to a few people who come to look at our creek. A slow day which is fine. A bit of excitement. We decide to walk up the slope because about 100 metres past the toilet block are the rubbish bins, and we have managed to accumulate a bag of it, a bottle (empty) and a few other items. We are going to the bins. Is there no end to the excitement?

A young chap has walked down the slope with his younger son to look at the creek. We chat. He had a Supreme van and now has a Leader up the top of the slope. Supreme and Leader are made by the same manufacturer. He is from South Australia. He bought his van from the same place we did. His purchase was not without hiccup and I see a rather negative Modus operandi emerging of the retail outlet we purchased from. They have since lost the retail sales. Food for thought on my part.

Dusk coming and I get the BIG lens out for a few (too late) shots of fauna. The slow day is coming to an end. For the first time in a while we choose not to have a Beer O’clock with others. Another quiet night. Showers, stir fry (V good) Watch end of Uncle Buck and all of Waking Ned Devine.

A big day tomorrow. Helicopter flight at 10.30am. We are down to half water tanks so will have to get water in this dry area and we need 240volts for clothes washing. All this in an area that is full due to the Ord River Muster from 24th to 29th. So tomorrow will be interesting.

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Thursday, 20th May 2021.

N.B. POSTED 23RD. WE HAD 6 DAYS WITHOUT INTERNET GOOD ENOUGH TO USE BLOG.

N.B. 2. NO VIDEOS AS INTERNET IS BETTER HERE BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO LOAD VIDEOS.

All our new found friends have pulled out and so will we.

We have ‘a cunning plan’. There is apparently a free camp with toilets near the Bungle Bungle Caravan Park which has buses into the BB’s and helicopter flights. So we will go to the BBCP and make our enquiries then adjourn to the free park.

But first a farewell toilet stop and up the road to the bins to get rid of soft rubbish and empty glass. Then it’s ‘Whoosh!’ to the next stop. (Whoosh? Is that even a real word and if so what does it really mean and then does it apply? Make mental note ‘Cut crap.’)

We pass the dirt turn off of the Tanami Road to Alice Springs. Great. We have seen it from both ends now. I don’t really need to see the bit in between.

We arrive at Halls creek in an hour or so and line up behind all the other vans at the Shell Station. $159.9 per litre from memory. Ouch … but not as ‘ouch’ as some in the past. Nearly did $2 going up the middle.

Then to a public toilet in the main street guarded by a group of locals, seated on the step up landing to the toilet. Very reassuring to have security. (?) IGA across the road for a few nibbles. I wanted a coffee but had to settle for an ice coffee out the fridge. On, on.

A zoom into the prefab metal cattle. Well done whoever did it. Quite effective. Almost (but not quite ) as good as mate Ricks metal art up at Loxton, SA Riverland. The promised land. We love our travels in this bloody marvelous country, but we do have a soft spot for the SA Riverland.

Going on for another hour and we see the turn off left to Spring Creek and can see vans very close to the road. Then a mere few hundred metres on the right is the BBCP dirt turn off with a big big Helicopter Hire sign. We front the counter of the park and quiz the Canadian lady riding shot gun on the office, with a series of questions.

Yes, there is a bus into the Bunble Bungles. It leaves at 6.30am (sun is rising) and gets back around 5.30pm. Almost pitch Dark. 11 hours down a bumpy road. $340 each but includes two meals, and it bloody well should. For that price Chateaubriand and French Champagne. with Southern Rock Lobster entre. So if it gets back in the dark we should be booked in there. $50 power site and $35 non power. They only have one power site currently. Here we are on Thursday and the next available bus is Monday. So how much money do you reckon they are making? Say 30 on the bus? So gross $10,020 less overheads. So for us, $340 plus $340 plus $50 is $730 and we have to wait four days.

In next door we go to the helicopter mob. $399 pp for half hour flight and next flight, Saturday morning. So $800 but we see the BB’s in comfort from the air and no 11 hours in a bumpy dusty bus. But it is $800 in 30 minutes. To be considered.

Back to the Spring creek free camp with toilets same as the ones at Mary Pool with foot pump. We also come across two sets of previous neighbours who help guide us into a shady spot. We R & R for a few hours, during which time we decide on the chopper at 10.30am Saturday and book it via dodgy phone reception. We then  meet  said friends for Beer O’clock and an open fire.

Home to the Palace and it is the easiest meal. We thaw the frozen (cooked) rice and frozen Chilli Con Carne, grate the cheese and pull out the corn chips and avocado. 20 minutes and instant meal.

Showers, we watch the film Uncle Buck or part thereof, and …..

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Wednesday, 19th May 2021

N.B. POSTED 23RD. WE HAD 6 DAYS WITHOUT INTERNET GOOD ENOUGH TO USE BLOG.

N.B. 2. NO VIDEOS AS INTERNET IS BETTER HERE BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO LOAD VIDEOS.

People going but not all of us. We decide to have a quiet day. So much so that we delay our morning ritual walk to the toilet block. Then on the way to the WC with consumables in plastic bag we stop chat and find the down side of being polite.

In comes the KIMBERLY 4WD tourist bus and does a U turn to stop within 20 metres of OUR toilets. Panic! Rush! they were initially slow to demount. Then there’s the first one and we scurry, as that individual is on a mission from god. I guess they have been waiting for it. Only three toilets and off get’s number two, who we assume has also been cross legged for a while. ‘Hello!’ I shout and wave hoping to distract and delay the teeming hordes as Anne increases her rate from scurry to scamper. The Hello had limited effect so we are 4 and 5 with 1, 2 and 3 currently busy. However, they are all short visits.

Note instructions on the toilet. ‘If you haven’t eaten it, please don’t drop it down the tube.’ That spells it out pretty well. They could have been a little more basic but you get the picture.

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With floor foot pump.

A truck arrives and attends a car towing a van. We assume the RAC. In half an hour, he is mobile after a tow start. Featured also in this shot is a lady walking her three dogs. You’d have to love those mutts to  travel god knows how far with them.

Then the cows come through. I wasn’t quick enough to get a clear shot of Norman out of City Slickers but to anyone who has seen it, you will get the idea. Almost a dead ringer.

I download the drone photos and video from yesterday.

Our car centre slightly right.in the shade. That becomes a problem on the last day requiring a car start and run for 20 minutes to bring the batteries up.

N.B. AS STATED, WE CANNOT LOAD THE VIDEOS AT THIS TIME.

Some known neighbours remain and we have a Beer O’clock. A chat. Darkness falls and we adjourn to showers, meal and inevitable movie.

Enough for one day.

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Tuesday, 18th May 2021

N.B. POSTED 23RD. WE HAD 6 DAYS WITHOUT INTERNET GOOD ENOUGH TO USE BLOG.

N.B. 2. NO VIDEOS AS INTERNET IS BETTER HERE BUT STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO LOAD VIDEOS.

By the way, Mary Pool is a bit over half way from Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek, on the Mary River, sort of.

What a great place. Heaps of vans and other campers.

Three Eco style toilets which are one of the biggest draw cards. We sleep in, but not nearly enough.

COWS wander all around as we are in an open range. They demonstrate natural instinct from time to time, to the amusement and / or confusion of the children. They also show little respect for our own van sites and lay shoe land mines ‘willy nilly.’

Nice people/campers all around.

We coast along and wander around.

We cook lunch on the BBQ. Lunch was inspired by the cows. After watching them wander around, I asked the question, ‘How many hamburgers would there be in one of those?’ We had hamburger for lunch. I didn’t feel guilty.

We use our slide out ‘Ziggy’ (Ziegler and Brown) again for about the ….? …..?…8th time? … in two years.

Note: Ziegler and Brown BBQ’s are good on our tunnel slide because Baby Webbers are hinged on the back and so you always have full height and that can be a handicap on a low tunnel. Baby Webbers usually have to have their lids taken off to fit in on a permanent slide. The Ziggy lid is hinged in the middle either side so the lid slides under the body when you open it. Our Ziggy is permanently fixed on the slide.

I put the drone up.

We walk along the river/pool to the causeway and chat with good campers including photographers, even though they had/use/like Nikon.

Dusk comes too soon and we adjourn to the ‘palace’. Anne does a fab stir-fry and we watch Bohemian Rhapsody, story of Queen/Freddy Mercury.

Bohemian Rhapsody

[Verse 3]
I see a little silhouetto of a man
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?
Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me
(Galileo) Galileo, (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo Figaro magnifico
But I’m just a poor boy, nobody loves me
He’s just a poor boy from a poor family
Spare him his life from this monstrosity
Easy come, easy go, will you let me go?
Bismillah! No, we will not let you go
(Let him go) Bismillah! We will not let you go
(Let him go) Bismillah! We will not let you go
(Let me go) Will not let you go
(Let me go) Will not let you go
(Never, never, never, never let me go) Ah
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
(Oh, mamma mia, mamma mia) Mamma mia, let me go
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me!

Now how couldn’t you like that? Funny. It seems to make more sense when it’s sung.

N.B. Bismillah (Arabic: بسم الله‎) is a phrase in Arabic meaning “in the name of God”, it is also the first word in the Qur’an, and refers to the Qur’an’s opening phrase, the Basmala.

There you go. Now that’s clear, I can sleep

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Monday, 17th May, 2021

N.B. POSTED 23RD. WE HAD 6 DAYS WITHOUT INTERNET GOOD ENOUGH TO USE BLOG.

N.B. 2. No videos as internet is better but still not good enough to load videos.

We wake as god dictates, which is about 8am.  Basic but clean toilets.

Basis dump point BUT it has one.

Grassed grounds.

‘Repeat after me …. B … O …A… B tree.’ Lots of ’em.

Our neighbours bid farewell. We cruise on, (and on) until we stopped at an excellent way side stop with toilet called something like Ellen Creek Station Stop. Great spot and even though it was about lunch time, people were already biding for position to stay the night. (It has a toilet.) We have lunch.

But ON! ON!

We go (ON!) to Fitzroy Crossing and fuel up. A fine young aboriginal chap fronts me with a very nice carving. Unfortunately it was on some sort of native big nut or pod and I explained to him that I would have trouble getting it across borders. I suggested he look for a W.A. person who does not have to cross borders. He thanked me for my advice and politely dismissed himself.

I acted sensibly. Then after, I thought to myself, ‘Leith. What a BASTARD you are!’ Even if I had to hand it in at a border, would it have been so bad for me and good for him to buy it? I will remember always  and also ask anyone reading this to remember and be more sympathetic if ever they are fronted similarly in the future. He may be getting Government handout for all I know. The point is, he was not just sitting on his bum taking the freebies. He was TRYING to be productive and that deserved a little encouragement.

Birds of Prey. Not to be confused with Pray. These guys do NOT Pray.

I took this to show smashed Australia Post sign on the front but can’t quite see it. We read the reviews on Wikicamps. Do NOT stay here.

ON! to Mary Pool free camp about two hours ‘on’. We pass a fabulous free camp with toilet right up on a plateau. We drive past and I have regretted it since. It would have had fantastic views, unique and been so brilliant.

ON we push till we get to our Destination of Mary Pool. Brilliant! We join about forty other vans AND room to spare. It has a river/ pool and basic pump flush toilets. Nice atmosphere. We sit with neighbours and drink a beer and talk caravans/places/things.

Then, it’s time for home. So we …. go home. No problem. It was only 3 metres. We shower the rather special way on limited water from tanks. Nice meal. Showers. Film SLEEP.

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Sunday 16th May 2021.

Finally we are on the road. Bike and side car? OK …??

There’s a reason why they post cattle warnings. This poor guy lost his life and the vehicle that hit him wouldn’t have done well either. It’s called ‘lose-lose.’

Good. Just graze. Do NOT move.

Macho? Or just plain crazy?

Single width bridge.

Willare Roadhouse & Caravan Park. Diesel empty so on to Derby.

Derby

Derby.

A tidal flow that you wouldn’t believe, second only to the horizontal falls. (but muddy due to the mudflats at the coast.)

The ‘star’ of the show.

A reflection of reality.

Out of the blue, a ‘stang’. Me thinks 1966-ish.

The prison Boab. Back in the 1800’s it was used as a gaol.

And the swimming pool designed back during the war.

Firemen lighting fires. Controlled burning.

More bike riders.

Sun down coming. We need a stop and Willare Roadhouse is just down the road so we head back.

Meet nice people Joanna and Bill camping adjacent and we do a beer o’clock then dusk and the mossequittoo’es come looking for meat.

We are ‘meat’ so we retire to the more or less safe environment of our luxury apartments. (Caravans)

Chilli concarne, avocado, rice, cream, corn chips. A feast!

Showers, a movie ‘2012’ futuristic mahem …. off the sat dish, …..

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Saturday, 15th May 2021.

Our last extended day. We depart tomorrow. So we make a bit of a day of it.

We meet the Deegs at the market for a last chance to spend and how better to do so than to buy some fine tuned, supported, ridged, (?) spiffy, light, action orientated, THONGS called ‘Slappa’s.’ Mine are carefully selected green and blue. (Only ones in my size)

Anne ‘plays in the land of ‘Dreams.’ Apparently that is what these feather and stick and cloth and twine things are labeled.

Peace and tranquility after the feeding frenzy and clean up.

This is the chosen soap.

On to this great little church. ‘Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral.’ Catholic Diocese of Broome. I think it was built in the 60’s and it looks a bit prefab and transported. However the feature is the extensive use of Mother of Pearl. Just plain beautiful.

The cross, the whole lot, Mother of Pearl.

Even the bowl.

On to Gantheaume Point.

The beach on the far side is Cable Beach. LOTS of cars and many people in the water. They either did not see or did not care there was a sign saying beach closed due to spotting of sharks and a crocodile. Well, really, what’s the worst thing can happen? Get killed I guess.

Bid the inevitable ‘See ya layta.’ to the Deegs and that will most likely be a fair way up the track. Perhaps Darwin ish.

Back to damn Woolworths AGAIN for some more final panic purchasing. We were down to 4 spuds. Just a few other optionals. More chocolate ice cream, licorice etc, then butcher for big fat sausages and hamburgers.

On to China town.

…and Sun Pictures. N.B. The Sun Picture Gardens is the world’s oldest picture gardens still in operation. It is located in Broome, Western Australia. Unlike most outdoor cinemas, it screens multiple films per night; the majority of outdoor cinemas screen one or two films a week. Wikipedia

Every one who attends has the chance to make a grand entry or exit to the attention of all the attendees, as the toilets are either side of the screen.

History.

Self adoration.

Floor plaques showing every owner from original.

We are very close to the airport.  You can’t help but notice.

Speaking of airport,  a huge plaque showing the war time action here. Got a bit of a hammering.

A shady spot and a mango crush made all the difference to a long hot day.

China town appears to have a whole street of pearl dealers. This was the only one open late Saturday afternoon.

I was amazed they let us get so close to this ‘little honey.’

I got Anne to place her finger next for some sort of reference. It is over 22mm in diameter. For those who are more familiar with the old language, an inch is 25.4mm . It’s damn near and inch!

They have already knocked back an offer of AU$1,000,000 on it and apparently, if I have my facts right, it is the biggest in the world?

Looked like they give lectures as well.

A bit blurry.

I cropped and sharpened but still not clear, so just the top row from L to R, $1465, 1685, 1897. Bottom row L to R $2544, $2639, $1276. N.B. it isn’t just the size. It’s colour, clarity, blemishes and shape etc.

Back to the car past rusty iron dancers.

As I said, very close to the airport. Look at how low the light post have been cut down adjacent.

Back to the park and we connect up. and do other prep.

Had two of those big, fat snags for meal.  You only need one plus veges of course. Still haven’t got enough greens. We may just have to suffer.

Showers TV, bed. Tomorrow on the road again.

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Friday, 14th May, 2021

Late start. Up 8am. Last minute washing before the nearing even closer departure. Bed linen etc . A big chunk of the morning.

Also a little tinkering. You see below, once you focus and rationalize, two Occie or Octopus straps (elastic with hooks on the ends) stretched between the two rear doors passenger entry fold down handles immediately above the top edges. These are to aid entrée and exit.

You will also notice on either end a piece of wire has been installed between them as spacers, to push them apart.

This is to hold them far enough apart so as not to put undue  pressure on anything stuck between them, Such as hats for example. Yes. This is a hat rack and yes, before I put the wire spreaders in, the straps squeezed the hat together and distorted it. It has since been manipulated back to shape.

Also, yes, it is a ‘nifty’ idea and yes, I would like to claim it my invention but no, I can’t. That particular bit of credit belongs to ‘Deegs’ , although I can take credit for the spreaders.

Now as we are checking out on Sunday Morning, I will just pass a little info on regarding the Tarangau Caravan Park we have been in. It was named after the HMAS Tarangau  Manus Island PNG. (pronounced Tarangow) It was an Aussie naval base in late 60’s early 70’s. The land was purchased in 1993 by Captain Blenkinsopp who had been stationed at the base. He was also an artist and bought it as a camping ground for travelling artists. As tourism increased, he was asked to open it as an overflow caravan park. They added the facilities and it became a van park. It was sold to another family in 2007 who are the current owners.

From humble beginnings. Can’t help wondering what the good captain paid for it in 1993 and what it is worth now. Don’t EVER let anyone tell you land isn’t the best investment you can ever make.

It evolves into a lazy afternoon and we look forward to our 5pm meeting with the Deegs family at the Broome Fishing Club. Early photo below shows three of the nine participants already appreciating the incredibly picturesque location which is a point or headland (?) surrounded on two sides by the ocean with the setting sun in the other direction.

Didn’t get the guitarists name but chatted to him after. He sang pretty well only golden oldies through the evening. Golden for me. I have never heard Paper Moon sung as entertainment before. It was written in 1932 for what was a flop Broadway show. Sung by a few back then including Nat King Cole. If you squint, you can see him right in the middle of the pic below. No point really, is there? I just love the song from the movie of the same name way back in the 70’d with Ryan O’Neal and at the time child daughter Tatum. Brilliant film if you can get a hold of it.

They do have some imagination at the club. Didn’t check the ladies.

We adjourn to the ‘dig’s’ of the ‘Deegs’s’ for a pleasant chat, glass of red and an appreciation of a cool evening. ‘How about the market tomorrow?’ ‘OK. See you then.’

Home. Showers etc.

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Cant help it. Paper Moon trailer, if it works.

… and the lyrics.

…. and Nat King Cole if it works. There’s a long musical intro before the singing starts.

Thursday the 13th May 2021.

Late morning we take off and drop in on the ‘D’s fitting their new (second additional) car fridge. They are staying with  daughter and we time our arrival to coincide with the completion of the fridge installation. The house is protected by a hound of delightful disposition and the always appealing ‘Dalmatian fur pattern of black speckles on soft white base. The effect being that most people think what a lovely rug it would make. Not this young guy though. He’s a perfect pet. (Except for the holes.)

Conversation wanders to anti itch medication and we are more or less guaranteed ‘Telfast 180’ will fix any and all itches in about 10 minutes. N.B. Kept behind the counter.

We look at the ‘Bungle, Bungles’ website, The word Accommodation has two ‘c’ s and two ‘m’s. Many people miss the second ‘m’ but these guys have taken illiteracy to another level and made it unbelievably Accom – idation. Amazing.

On, on. We pass a Boab Tree patch. More shopping to prepare for our approaching departure. So a late lunch is a leg each, off a Woollies roast chook while sitting in the car outside our destination. Always a nice scenario for a moderately messy feed. It was VERY juicy.

Anne is due for a ‘Ladies top half examination’ and it is scheduled today. Turns out the examination facility is mobile. A big, purpose built semi-trailer takes a year to travel from about 40km north of Perth up to Kununurra. Then another year back down again. Two nice ladies have been servicing rural W.A. in this way stopping at around forty places. They are very enduring and hard working professionals. Unfortunately I only caught the name of one of the ladies. Here Anne poses with ‘Fiona.’

Anne struggles to do a phone camera ‘Selfie.’

Anne doesn’t struggle for me to take a photo.

Home for light duties and a little tidying. I finish fixing the insulation on the car rear window. I have a crack at using my new stone from Bunnings to sharpen a knife. I was going to say ‘almost totally useless’ but that suggests there was some success. So I am going to have to change that to totally bloody useless.

Mozzies are currently thick in Broome so we move inside. All the usual evening preparations. Movie. We put on, ‘A Walk in the Woods.’ The Bill Bryson, was book, now movie starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. Good, fun film.

What’s that noise? New neighbour’s water hose bursts outside and floods two of our fake lawn mats. Such is life. Bit of excitement. Excitement? What’s that?

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Wednesday, 12th May 2021

We were aware we were being picked up by Mick and Lou. It was to be 9.30am. I had misinterpreted it to be 9.45am. So they weren’t early as I thought. We were late. Anyway, we were off to Willie Creek Pearl Farm, including road works and rough roads.

Across a salt pan of a sort.

Danger, danger! Woman looking at PEARLS!

Nice ‘young lady’ ‘Kaleena’ shows us the attributes of owning a pearl and we see her logic. Deal done.

Second in charge, ‘Robert.’ (Second. He is married.)

The whole group. The ‘D’s’ are the reason we are here.

Bless the maestro. Always aware.

Great spot.

Markers in and out.

Back to reality. Thanks for the outing Mick & Lou.

Booty of the day. Not mine. MY boss.

In it’s ‘home’.

Back to TV crap.

A punch up instigated by the US owning the name ‘Vaseline’ against an Australian supplier of ‘Vegaline’. Oh please!  One starts with ‘Vase’ and the other in ‘Vega.’ Spare me! Million, Billion Trillion? or closer perhaps …  Vegemite, Marmite, Promite?

Too much crap for one day. We focus on something meaningful. The  reflecting window insulation in the right rear window of the tub/back of the car is falling off. So fix with new tape. Then eat, shower, drink and bed.

There is a god and he wants us to sleep.

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