Road Trip Day 14 - Broome to Port Smith

16/3/2011

After a night spent trying all kinds of potions (and one antihistamine pill) to try and stop my damn mozzie bites from itching, I finally slept for a while. I think it was 7:30/8am by the time I finally arose and it was raining – just a drizzle. After packing some of my stuff in the donga I went over to the shadehouse for breakfast and to get organised there. I was really hoping the rain would let up so I could pack without everything getting wet. Not long after it did subside. I checked the road conditions on the Obs computer, found that the way out was fine and started to pack. I got delayed telling John and his wife all the good places to go if he was to do the W.A. Coast down to Perth. His plan was to go back to Fitzroy Crossing and take the Tanami Track through Alice Springs and back to... Sydney or Melbourne – can't remember where they were from. That has been thwarted by heavy flooding in the northern Kimberley and also in Alice. I left an hour behind schedule at almost 11am. Stopped in at Campsite to let everyone in Perth know I was heading off and to take one last look at the bay (for now anyway). The puddles on the BBO road were large and unnervingly deep in places, but I made it through without a hitch.

I'm sure my car was silver After a few days of driving through the puddles on the way to the BBO it took on a gold colouring.

( More wet roads )

( Today's bird list )

See all of the Port Smith photos here.

Road Trip Day 14 - Broome to Port Smith

16/3/2011

After a night spent trying all kinds of potions (and one antihistamine pill) to try and stop my damn mozzie bites from itching, I finally slept for a while. I think it was 7:30/8am by the time I finally arose and it was raining – just a drizzle. After packing some of my stuff in the donga I went over to the shadehouse for breakfast and to get organised there. I was really hoping the rain would let up so I could pack without everything getting wet. Not long after it did subside. I checked the road conditions on the Obs computer, found that the way out was fine and started to pack. I got delayed telling John and his wife all the good places to go if he was to do the W.A. Coast down to Perth. His plan was to go back to Fitzroy Crossing and take the Tanami Track through Alice Springs and back to... Sydney or Melbourne – can't remember where they were from. That has been thwarted by heavy flooding in the northern Kimberley and also in Alice. I left an hour behind schedule at almost 11am. Stopped in at Campsite to let everyone in Perth know I was heading off and to take one last look at the bay (for now anyway). The puddles on the BBO road were large and unnervingly deep in places, but I made it through without a hitch.

I'm sure my car was silver After a few days of driving through the puddles on the way to the BBO it took on a gold colouring.

( More wet roads )

( Today's bird list )

See all of the Port Smith photos here.

Road Trip Day 15 - Port Smith to Port Hedland

17/3/2011

I woke up pretty early but read in bed for about half an hour before doing anything (the book I'm reading is nearing a close, and has become quite exciting). My clothes were dry and I was hungry for breakfast by then, so I gathered my gear and went to the camp kitchen to prepare some food. I wasn't so badly eaten by mozzies this morning (I was wearing repellent, which didn't seem to deter a determined few). I quickly got something to worry about though when I noticed something dangling down towards the front of my car. Oh no, I hoped it wasn't anything too serious – maybe it could just be whacked back into place? I figured I'd get packed up and ask the guy at the office if he knew anything about cars before I headed off. Breakfast was the standard bacon, eggs, toast (which kept burning on the dodgy old gas burners and camp toasters), sauteed mushrooms and fried tomato (usually whatever is left after I make sandwiches). Quite tasty. I was all packed and ready to head off by 7:50. As I made my way through the caravan park to leave another worker at the park pointed out that I had something dangling from my car. “I know,” I said, “Do you know anything about cars? Know what it might be?” He immediately got out of his car and down on the ground and took a closer look. “Ah! Seems like you've picked something up.” He grabbed the offending object and tugged on it and it came loose. Somebody else's gearbox covering, perhaps I picked it up in one of those puddles, where I couldn't see it. Well, that was a relief. I thanked him profusely and was on my way.

( Housing shortage )

( Today's bird list )

See a photo of the world's dodgiest toilet (as well as other photos from today) here.

Road Trip Day 15 - Port Smith to Port Hedland

17/3/2011

I woke up pretty early but read in bed for about half an hour before doing anything (the book I'm reading is nearing a close, and has become quite exciting). My clothes were dry and I was hungry for breakfast by then, so I gathered my gear and went to the camp kitchen to prepare some food. I wasn't so badly eaten by mozzies this morning (I was wearing repellent, which didn't seem to deter a determined few). I quickly got something to worry about though when I noticed something dangling down towards the front of my car. Oh no, I hoped it wasn't anything too serious – maybe it could just be whacked back into place? I figured I'd get packed up and ask the guy at the office if he knew anything about cars before I headed off. Breakfast was the standard bacon, eggs, toast (which kept burning on the dodgy old gas burners and camp toasters), sauteed mushrooms and fried tomato (usually whatever is left after I make sandwiches). Quite tasty. I was all packed and ready to head off by 7:50. As I made my way through the caravan park to leave another worker at the park pointed out that I had something dangling from my car. “I know,” I said, “Do you know anything about cars? Know what it might be?” He immediately got out of his car and down on the ground and took a closer look. “Ah! Seems like you've picked something up.” He grabbed the offending object and tugged on it and it came loose. Somebody else's gearbox covering, perhaps I picked it up in one of those puddles, where I couldn't see it. Well, that was a relief. I thanked him profusely and was on my way.

( Housing shortage )

( Today's bird list )

See a photo of the world's dodgiest toilet (as well as other photos from today) here.

Road Trip Day 16 - Port Hedland to Point Samson

18/3/2011

I was on the road from Port Hedland by 10 to 8. “Kate” told me that I was scheduled to get Point Samson by a bit after 10am. It really isn't that far.

Poor Kate must be so confused. Seems her maps of Port Hedland don't match the roads that are there now. In Cossack she kept showing me roads that just didn't exist (maybe they did in Cossack's heyday?) Anyway.

( Back to swag weather )

( Today's bird list )

See all of today's photos here.

Road Trip Day 16 - Port Hedland to Point Samson

18/3/2011

I was on the road from Port Hedland by 10 to 8. “Kate” told me that I was scheduled to get Point Samson by a bit after 10am. It really isn't that far.

Poor Kate must be so confused. Seems her maps of Port Hedland don't match the roads that are there now. In Cossack she kept showing me roads that just didn't exist (maybe they did in Cossack's heyday?) Anyway.

( Back to swag weather )

( Today's bird list )

See all of today's photos here.