LOOKING back through my "Travellers Bible" I am surprised we drove from Kununurra to Derby in one day but when I look at the notes on the bottom of the page written by my travelling friends Marg and Brian I remember again why it is that I chose to drive through.
Halls Creek - Fenced
Fitzroy Crossing - Police Patrol Caravan Park
They had told me a lot about these places before I left and although they warned me it was a bit rough they also said they were safe, but the wet season was catching up to us and I didn't want to stay in a fenced park so I was happy to drive until Derby. I don't remember this day too clearly compared to others but I do know it was a cold day for Applejack to soldier on without his knickers getting hot and Kristy and I were feeling energetic. Every other day on the trip I had to be mindful of the heat and how it would effect Applejacks engine as he is air-cooled. That's what his little yellow ears on his back are for...to keep him cool so if I pushed him too hard I ran the risk of burning him out and I sure as hell didn't want to do that. On a hot day I would stop regularly and feel his engine and if it was too hot to keep my hand on I'd park under a shady tree and just chill out for a bit.
I was also driving in the opposite direction to the majority of travellers in Australia. The end of the year in Northern Australia is hot and humid and the summer storms can be big so most southerners are now driving home. I couldn't go south first otherwise I would have been stuck in floods for sure. As it worked out I believe I chose the best direction and I only had to cross one flowing creek from Kununurra to Derby. I got out and started to walk across the creek to check its depth but I admit I was a wee worried a crocodile might start snappin at my ankles out there. It was bizarre that not long after a bus came from the other side and the driver got out and did the same thing but actually made it the whole way across without dancing around like a fairy waiting to get bitten. It was safe to drive across so we soldiered on.
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This man in the car was not at all helpful...he wouldn't go in the water... |
Wolf Creek. One of scariest movies I have seen recently and if I got a dollar every time someone referred to it when I told them I was going on this trip I could have had free fuel from Queensland to NT. It was luckily years since I had seen it and I didn't really remember too much except that they never found the killer but it didn't stop me from sleeping with the doors open. I was actually excited to see this sign but when I asked Kristy if she wanted to take the turn off into Wolf Creek I got a very quick and loud "NO" from the passenger seat. Clearly Kristy could remember the movie.
The sun was setting and we had come to an intersection. We could continue 179km to Broome or turn left and go 41km into Derby which we knew nothing about. We chose Derby. The drive was AMAZING! They have funky trees called the "boab" which are a Kimberly Icon, are also a picture in my mind I will never forget sitting in front of the WA sunset. I believe you have never experienced the most beautiful sunset of your life until you go to the Northern Territory or the top half of Western Australia. They certainly make you feel alive.
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| My windscreen was so clean! ha |
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| This is definately my favourite tree of the trip... |
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