My winter vacation

For those in the northern hemisphere, June marks the beginning of summer and school holidays. Though clearly not summer and quite clearly beyond my student days, I was quite happy to escape rainy Sydney and take the opportunity to dry out a bit in the top end of Australia.

A small water crossing on the Gibb River Road.

Our adventure was a 4wd camping expedition from Broome to Darwin, covering over 1600km in 12 days. Half of the journey was to be on the Gibb River Road, an unsealed route through the Kimberleys with limited facilities to offer the comforts you might enjoy day-to-day. But to our pleasant surprise, this remote part of the world offered more luxuries than could ever be imagined.

Not much was needed for preparation. Flights, vehicle hire, ipods and a map took priority, and a last minute download of Birgit Bradtke’s ‘Destination Kimberly’ turned out to be the bible of the trip.

The walls that make up Windjana Gorge give an idea of the scale of the barrier reef system from over 300 million years ago.

While the gorges are spectacular, the flora and fauna and the diversity of the landscape is the most memorable. The colours, from the bright blue sky to the deep red earth, provide a uniformity that then surprises you with yellow flowers on a kapok bush and the golden glow from the ancient limestone reefs. And let’s not forget the distinctive boab tree.

The boab.

We were never short of swimming holes, favourites being Bell Gorge, Adcock Gorge and Zebedee Springs. An unusual weather front brought us 30 degree days with warm nights, the better for watching stars.

Due to a shopping list more comprehensive than our itinerary, we were well stocked with the makings of gourmet meals and sundowners each evening, even during the time we ran out of gas for the stove which could rate as our top disaster on the trip. Or it could be the error we made the first night by camping by the mouth of the Fitzroy River and noticing with our torches that the river is infested with crocodiles. Or possibly the time when a small bit of the Kimberleys landed in my eye resulting in a trip to hospital.

Anyone fancy a swim?

Being the sole American on the trip, I was conscious not to be too much trouble but some things aren’t easy especially when the gear shift is on the left. However, my appreciation of Australia grew heaps in many ways, such as by learning the tune to Waltzing Matilda, gaining some understanding of Aboriginal art, being reminded of our vulnerability to the powerful forces of nature and, most importantly, realising that Twisties can go in a sandwich but not next to it.

Did I forget to mention our flight over Purnululu (the Bungle Bungles)?

If you’re interested in a trip like this, get the online Kimberley travel guide by Birgit Bradtke. It rocks.

http://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/kimberley-travel-guide.html