Kimberley Adventures in Four-Wheel Drive

The last week has been very fun and very full on. Day 2 was a long, fun and hot day – the entire group of 25 went on a 4 wheel drive course, well really it was more of a “essentials of Kimberley driving” course. I dusted up on my manual driving ability (now using the left hand to shift!) and even gave a lesson to two others ("don't ride the clutch!!!"). I learned how to use snatch straps to pull vehicles out, how to change a tire, how to drive on various types of sand and gravel, etc. Funny how my country girl upbringing, along with snow driving, has served me well. Our instructor was a very interesting and smart man from the country near Alice Springs. He knew everything there is to know about differentials, shafts, all sorts of crazy smart mechanical talk…..yet he was barely literate and didn’t learn to read anything at all until his 30s when his wife taught him. He asked a few of us in the car that we must have been good in school to get our kinds of jobs and it ended up being quite an enlightening conversation.

Day 3 we spent a long day in the classroom, quite a change up from 4 wheel driving fun the day prior. We spent the evening getting ready for camping (groceries, equipment checks, packing). And then we were off early on Day 4!! Our caravan included 8 white four-wheel drives, quite a sight to behold.

We headed south on the Great Northern Highway from Kununurra and called into Warnum and Halls Creek. The first night was spent near a beautiful water hole and the second night on our guide’s family land closer to Hall’s Creek. “Going bush” means going out in the wilderness without the creature comforts, and we were definitely in the bush.

All 25 of us are spread out amongst various towns in the Kimberleys, and at various organisations in those towns. Jawun partners with Indigenous owned companies in communities that have the same values that Jawun promotes. One of the mob from Westfarmers is working with me at the organisation in Broome, which is an Aboriginal owned investment trust. Our supervisor for the next month came all the way to Halls Creek to pick the two secondees up and drive us across the Kimberleys to Broome. We stopped in to see an Aboriginal family on a station (ranch) to talk about some business ideas, and also jumped into a beautiful water hole to cool off. We made sure to pick up a stone, rub it all over ourselves especially underarms, and throw it into the water before jumping in. This is the Aboriginal way of letting the spirits know that you are coming into the water, sort of an introduction if you will. The spirits then know you are coming in and will protect you. If you haven’t been there in a long time, you should do the ritual again in case the spirit has forgotten your scent. This is a sacred place to the local mob, and we had approval from the elder woman. We camped an additional night at Windjana Gorge in the Leopold Ranges, which was spectacular. The big group camping was good fun, but having only 3 of us at this point was a real treat.

The next morning on the way to Tunnel Creek, we shredded a tire and my knowledge was put to the test!! The two boys made me do most of the work. Lazy bums. But I’m pretty confident in my ability to change a tire now! We finally got to Tunnel Creek and spent an hour wading around in waist deep water and exploring the tunnels and caves. Quite amazing really.

We finally hit up the famous Gibb River Road, which is a pass that is inaccessible during the “wet”. We are currently nearing the end of the dry, so it is getting hotter and more humid, the tourists are disappearing, and in a few months the wet will officially start and make some of this country inaccessible.

After a bumpy ride on the Gibb River Road, a quick stop for lunch in Derby and a look around the port, we arrived in Broome on Sunday evening feeling hot, sweaty, dirty, and wet (from wading around the tunnels with our shoes and clothes on). The rest of the Broome secondees were arriving by plane a few hours after we arrived, and it was nice to get the rooms sorted and have a very long shower!!

Monday morning was straight to work at the organisations we are all assigned to. A few of us caught the sunset at the famous Cable Beach and went for a little swim. However I was afraid of all the jellyfish I was seeing everywhere. Turns out these particular ones don’t sting so it would be fine - Can’t make any promises on the crocs though, sure hope I don’t get eaten!!!

Kununurra - Day 1

I was thinking about starting an actual *live* blog for this trip. Usually when I blog of my travels, I write down tons of notes, thoughts, comments, and funny things, and then when I get back I compile them into sensical stories or themes. That’s why it takes so long for me to post a blog when I get back (plus putting up some photos as well). I suppose that is what I’ve always thought writing a book would be like.

Well the journey I’m on this time is not just a trip or a holiday. This is an experience I’m likely not to forget. I’m going to be feeling happy, sad, excited, frustrated, annoyed, angry, hopeful, and despondent. I think I will try to write and actually post what I am feeling, what I did that day, things that bothered/astounded me etc. It doesn’t have to be long and I won’t get to it every night (as I’ll be camping in the bush etc). Also don't judge me, as feelings are just feelings and you have the benefit of not experiencing it for yourself.

Today I flew from Perth to Kununurra via Broome. When I arrived in Kununurra I was happily shocked at how swank our accom will be for the next 3 days. We had dinner as a group tonight. There are 25 of us total, with 8 to go to Broome, some to Warnum, Halls Creek, and some staying in Kununurra. I didn’t get to meet everyone at dinner and it was a bit overwhelming because there are so many. The group going to Broome should be fun and seem to be keen to see as much as possible too.

The "A" marks the spot where I am right now - still in Western Australia, but barely (almost to the border of the Northern Territory). More to come soon.