During my last entry of Tamworth, I promised to bring our blog up to date. After having arrived in WA and finding Kununurra I decided to try to add current events and fill in the blanks at the same time. I have realised delaying uploads tends to dull the memory of all the detail. For instance, I forgot to mention that Bob lost his wedding ring in Tamworth and after a few phone calls we discovered it would have to be replaced. Having made a phone call to my trusty Abbie who manages Michael Hill in Mackay, She managed to offer us a very good replacment deal and also had a great little special waiting for me in Mackay when we returned from visiting Jodi in Cootamundra.
So todays entry is from Kununurra. After our disasterous trip to the Cape of Carpentaria/Bamaga/Saisea, that is a whole other catch up story. Bob and I were expecting Kununurra to be a little similar to Cloncurry or other small country town as a fuel stop, on the way to Broome. The first indication that this wasn't the case came after leaving Jabiru in the Kakadu National Park. To degress just a little we travelled to Darwin via Normanton, Mt Isa, Katherine and then Darwin. Darwin needs an entry of it's own but loved it. We left after 12 days and first stop Jabiru. This is a mining town in Kakadu National Park setup for the Uranuim Mine (Ranger) owned by Rio Tinto. After all the hype we had heard about Kakadu I found it to be typical Australian bush of the same type you would see on the drive from Mackay to Rockhampton. I had expected lush wetlands and rain forest but was disappointed to find just more bush. Being October we are at the tale end of the dry season and to be fair the country side would probably be much nicer just after the wet season.
All this adds to why we were so surprised to find Kununurra and the trip here to be a wonderful discovery of different landscape and huge rivers, escarpments that look like they have been painted on the horizon. Almost immediately after you cross into the Gregory National Park the counrtyside changes completely and has to be seen to be appreciated. We have many photos but none do it justice.
Kununurra is another plesant surprise. It is lush green and our campside is on the side of a lake that is fed by the Ord River which flows into Lake Argyle. We had to cross the WA border and Kununurra is about 40kls over the border. They had a Quarantine Station on the border and check your car and van for all vegetables,fruit,honey and lots of other items you need to be rid of to cross the border. Doesn't make much sense that you drive into Kununurra, go to Coles and re-buy the same brand items you had to throw out to enter WA.
The Coles supermarket has trolleys you had to put a $1 in and then when you retun the trolley you get your dollar back. Upon completely our shopping we were met at the car by a local aborigine. He asked if he could take our trolley back and have the $1. Also asked for $5 because he was a bit hungry. He mentioned he came from Wyndham where they had a crocodile farm. I was tempted to tell him to eat some of those if he was hungry. Still on checking my purse I didn't have a $5 so gave him a $10. He let out a loud bellowing toothless laugh and started waving it in the air and dancing around the car park. We left as quickly as possible before word got around town that some soft touch whities had arrived in town and we were acousted by all the locals at once.
Going for a drive to Lake Argyle tomorrow. Will upload photos from there.