Friday, July 31: We're up at 4:30 and our shuttle bus shows up promptly at 5:30--just what we'd expect about Aussie efficiency. We're at Domestic Terminal 3 in Sydney airport by 6:15. Our flight is at 8:10. Check-in is a breeze and the security screening is much less paranoic than in the US. There's no removing of shoes, or worrying about liquid containers in carry-on luggage being more than 3 oz. About the only thing we had to do was remove Rick's laptop from his back pack. They board in 20 minutes, not the 30+ as in the States and there is no boarding by rows. You just board when you want. It's a 4 1/2 hour flight and we arrive EARLY!! We collect our luggage, but Trevor and Fay are nowhere to be found. We start to wonder whether or not Rick sent them the flight info and his mobile number. (Yes to the former, no to the latter.) But just as we start thinking how we might contact them--there they are. It's great to see them again; hugs all around; and Rick and Trevor begin the friendly "needling" that will probably go on for the next 9 weeks. Trev and Fay's daughter Lorraine lives outside of Fremantle and at her suggestion, we'll all be staying with her family tonight. It's another gorgeous day. After driving around suburban Perth, seeing all the housing development including some of the homes Trevor and Fay owned at one time or another, we're back in Freo for lunch at Little Creatures (a micro-brewery and restaurant where we'd eaten several times when we were in Freo in 2006). Then on to Lorraine's, where she greets us warmly (like long lost friends) and her three daughters: Kendall (15), Jacinthe (13) and Ashley (11)--oh yes, and Rusty the dog, too. Lorraine's husband, Tino, gets home around 5:00. Fay and Rory go out to pick up Fay's mum (Shirley). We're eating in--Lorraine, with help from Ashley and Jacinthe cooks up a great dinner, we'll watch a little footy on the telly and everyone's asleep just after 10pm. Lorraine and Tino have a beautiful home and family and we feel special to have been treated so warmly.

Saturday, August 1: Today is special, not only because we're off on a 9 week adeventure with Trev and Fay, but also because it was 10 years ago today that Rick and Rory first met! We celebrate by taking everyone (except Tino, who's gone off to work) to McDonalds for brekky (breakfast). It's a perfect day for driving--and will get even better (warmer) as we go north. We've got about 700 kilometers to drive today to get to Trevor and Fay's place in Denham, so we say good bye to Lorraine and the kids and we're off. On the way, we'll stop at an ATM so we can pay our fair share of expenses for a while, numerous roadhouses for snacks/gas/etc, and to change drivers. Rick gets about 150 kilometers between Northampton and Bilabong, to get used to driving on the left (wrong) side of the road again.

We arrive in Denham aroung 8pm. T&F had moved into a new (rented) house only last week, because the one they had been renting was sold. They lived in the new place one day before leaving early last week to meet us in Perth. F&T own Tradewinds Seafront Apartments, where we stayed in 2006 (and how we met them). While they're off on these multi-week trips, the apartments are looked after by Kevin and Helen, a retired couple who have been traveling aroung Australia in a camper van for the past couple of years. They have been joined by their daughter Debbie, an accountant from Melbourne on a two week holiday from her husband and 3 grown daughters. She's never been to WA and this is a great chance for her see her parents as well. What wonderful people they all are--Helen has taken over as "the boss", assigning rooms to all of us! While T&F have been away, Kevin and Helen have totally organized the house, got everything put away and made up all the rooms. All we had to do was unload the 4-wheel, have a few beers, eat dinner and go to sleep.

Sunday, August 2: It's shorts and t-shirt weather here in Denham, which will be the dress code for the next 9 weeks as we travel up the north western coast and across to Darwin and the Northern Territory. We're going to relax and get the caravan (camper) fitted out. Rick would like to upload the journal today using Debbie's laptop connection but, for some reason, he can't make it work--probably because she's got Vista for an operating system. He's successful at the Tradewinds office! He's experiencing internet withdrawal, not having instant access to email, facebook, and his fantasy baseball team. It's probably going to get worse once we leave "civilization".

Monday-Wednesday, August 3-5: We've got a long drive today. On the road out of Denham we stop to see the Stromatalites, living rock-like formations in the water which produce oxygen. You can actually see the bubbles of oxygen rise to the surface. It'll be mostly driving north, paralleling the Indian Ocean (which is about 3k west of the coast road). The terrain all the way is olive-colored vegetation, red dirt, buffle grass (good eating for sheep, goats and cattle). Occasionally there's an expanse of yellow or white flowers. They don't get much rain here, but they've had a fair amount lately, so the terrain is greener than normal. Sheep, goats and cows graze along the road. Occasionally a kangaroo or two can be spotted in the bush, or hopping across the road. We see several dead along the road. They get hit mostly by truck trains at night. There's no way the trucks can slow down to miss them, especially when they just sit there watching the lights bore down on them. We'll stop in Carnarvon for groceries and beer to last us for the next several days. Our destination is Warroora Station along the Ningaloo Reef. Warroora is owned by a close friend of the Deacons--Leonnie. Her station spreads out over 300,000 hectares, of which 50k are along the ocean. We arrive at almost 8pm. We'll get the caravan hooked up to electric power. R&R will be bunking in the caravan; F&T in one of the shearer's quarters. The loo is about 50 meters from the caravan. This will be Rick's first experience at camping--and will last for most of the next 9 weeks. He should be a pro by then. Dinner tonight is spare ribs, mashed potatoes, and corn. We're all tired and asleep by 10pm.

Our plan is to spend two full days at Warroora. We drive on dirt tracks along the Reef, stopping for photos, shelling, and beach walking. Since we'll be driving on dirt and soft sand tracks, we drop the tire pressure from 50 lb/si to 25. Warroora Station is populated by sheep, goats, cattle, horses, kangaroos, and numerous varieties of birds. It is a perfect example of outback living--totally self-sustaining. There are numerous wells and solar panels. The station is also a camping area, open to the public for a fee. We'll see many campsites atop the cliffs along the beach, many complete with all the comforts of home: TV, solar panels, windmills, and even a wifi hotspot. There are a few others staying in shearer's quarters and sharing kitchen and lavatory/shower facilities. On Tuesday afternoon, we drive up to the homestead where Leonie lives, for a short visit. Her son and his family are back from a visit to his wife's family in Switzerland. They have three small children: Sasha (5), Eva (3) and Nolan (1 1/2), all of whom seem to have already developed an independent nature. Their education is provided right on the station and remotely via the internet. We'll end Tuesday with hot showers and a dinner of grilled fish, boiled potatoes and green beans. We've had a full day wandering on the beach in the sun; the banter between Trevor and Rick continues almost non-stop.

We're going to stop reporting how beautiful the weather is, beacuse it's been pretty constant. Mornings are cool until the sun comes up, then it gets warmer, with highs into the 80s. The sky is cloudless. Trevor suggests that we will probably not see any rain for the next 9 weeks. When the sun goes down, it cools off quickly, down into the 40s (we'd guess). So unless there's something unusual, no more weather reports. Tuesday night/Wednesday morning is a little warmer than yesterday. Rick awakes to find a couple of horses grazing near the caravan. He's probably asking for "trouble", but he finds a carrot to feed them. He's may have made friends for life, or at least until we leave.....We're heading south on the station, looking for a good fishing spot. The "roads" on the station are mostly red dirt tracks, with some soft sandy tracks and a few rocky ones. The terrain is like what we've seen all the way up from Denham, along with pure white sand dunes. Once in a while we're surprised to see a sprig of beautiful purple flowers growing in the middle of an olive colored acacia bush. There's plenty of surf. Since Trevor has brought along only a couple of small rods, he's not sure we'll have any success fishing. We find a stopping point above the beach and decide to have a go at it. While Fay and Rory do some shelling, Trevor gets his fishing gear ready. Rick watches and is ready to photographically document any success Trevor may have. Unbelievably, Trevor hits with his first two casts and we've caught enough for lunch. The second fish was the most colorful we'd ever seen: turquoise, pink and blue (a wrasse we are told). It was (almost) a shame to eat it. Rory tries her hand and catches two small ones which we throw back. It's time for lunch and a nap, so we drive back to the caravan, We'll try again later this afternoon, as there are a couple of spots Trevor wants to try.

Around 3:30, we're off fishing and shelling again. This time we're going slightly south of the homestead. Rory gets a bite right away--nice size fish, but she decides it's too small and throws it back before we can ask Trevor what it is. While Trevor and Fay fish, Rick and Fay are shelling. By the time they're done, they've collected two bags full. Fay will clean them up and sell them in the shop at Tradewinds. Trevor finally gets a bite--another beautiful wrasse, about 1 1/2 times the size of the one he got this morning. Again, back it goes, as we're having goulash for dinner.

We return to the caravan to clean up for dinner. Fay is cooking and has invited Leonie and her 93 year old Mum to join us. There are two brothers (Kevin and Brian) staying in the shearers' quarters who have been coming to Warroora for years to fish and help out on the station, so we invite them to join us as well. There's lots of talk about local politics and sports, They're also curious about us--how we met, where we live, what we like to do.

Thursday, August 6: Today is moving on day. It's also Rory's birthday. Rick remembered to buy cards before we left home and has one for F&T to give her as well. So Rory is pleasantly surprised for the first time today. We're up early (7am) for breakfast, breaking down the camp, getting everything stowed away, and pumping the tires back up to 50 lb/si. We've promised to stop at the homestead before we leave to say good bye to Leonie. When we arrive, she's on her computer and invites Rick to use it. Since the station is so remote, she connects to the internet via satellite. This is a very slow connection, but it's better than nothing at all. Email checked, Rick joins the others on the patio overlooking the Indian Ocean and the Ningaloo Reef. Leonie's daughter-in-law is there with Sasha. Just before we leave, her son Marty comes by. By 10:00 we've had our visit, returned to the caravan, hitched it up, and are on our way to Exmouth.

Exmouth is about 150k from Warroora Station, a trip made somewhat longer because one of the storage compartments on the caravan opens up. When we realize it, we stop to take inventory. Trevor says only a tarp is missing and wants to go on, but we all insist he go back, since it's only a short distance since we left. About a kilometer back down the road we find it and head back to the main road. There are two ways back to the main road and Trevor chooses the left (Fay thinks he should go right, because that's the way we came in on Monday). Trevor will take no end of grief for this. Unfortunately, the road we choose is severely corrugated which means we'll be driving quite slowly, thus prolonging by an hour or more, what should be a two hour drive! Along the way we see giant ant hills everywhere. Some are as high a 10 feet tall. They look like a native American tepee villages. They've formed over thousands of years, and we're amazed at how many there are. Finally we come to the main road north, next stop Coral Bay where we will stop for lunch. Coral Bay was once a picturesque village on a beautiful stretch of beach along the Indian Ocean and Ningaloo Reef. Now it's overrun by camper vans and people on holiday. We don't stay long. From Coral Bay, Rick takes over behind the wheel. It's the first time he's driven with a vehicle in tow. It takes a little getting used to, but once he gets the hang of making wide turns, he's fine.

We arrive in Exmouth around 2:30. F&T lived here in the late '80s and have many friends here. We're looking for the tourist information centre (hereinafter referred to as an "i"). Fay suggest we take an excursion tomorrow while they visit some friends and repair the table top that has come loose from its base, thanks to the bumpy road Trevor took yesterday. so we sign up for a whale watching tour. We also discover that there are no spots available in any of the caravan parks in town. We'll have to put in at an overflow site near the Exmouth cricket grounds. First, we stop in to see John and Poppy, old friends of T&F. As we've found all Aussies to be, they are very warm and welcoming people. They have a beautiful brick home, with a back patio that spans the length of the house. The yard has one of the best "climbing" trees we've ever seen. (They've also got temporary custody of their son Nick's dog, Dusty" with whom Rick establishes immediate rapport.) We get a couple of ideas about how we might improve our courtyard back home. We have a couple of beers (wine for the ladies). J&P invite us to stay at their place, but rather than impose, we'll stay at the overflow camp grounds. We'll all meet for dinner at 7pm. The overflow camping facility turns out to be a bit of a rip off and Fay is none too happy about it. They say they don't want to compete with the local private facilities and their nightly rates are outrageous; and there's no hot water in the showers. That plus the cost of the place convinces Trevor to take John up on his offer (starting tomorrow night). In the meantime, we get set up including the tent cots which F&T will sleep in for the first time. We've been delegated the comfy bed in the caravan and they won't hear of swapping. The trees around the campground are full of white cockatoos and they make quite a racket. This will continue until it gets dark (and the lights on the tennis court go out). Fortunately, we're off to dinner at Pinnochio's italian restaurant. The food is good; the company better. John is very interested in the retirement planning we've done as well as the legal documents we've put in place (wills and the like). Rick offers our website as a reference and John is quite anxious to have a look. As we finish, the lights go out and they play "Happy Birthday" as Rory is presented with a chocolate mousse dessert that F&T have arranged. Birthday surprise #2. She has had a pretty good day!!

Friday, August 7: R&R will be picked up this morning at the "i" at 9:30 so there's plenty of time to have brekky, pack up the caravan, and leave the campground. We've signed up for the "Humpback Whale Discovery Tour" offered by Ocean Eco Adventures for A$110 per person. It turns out to be well worth the cost. We are picked up and driven out to meet the boat. On the way, we strike up a conversation with Bronwyn Fife from Queensland, a woman in her early 50s, who is traveling around Australia in a self-contained camper. We spent a lot of time talking with her and Rick asks if we might see the camper when the tour is over. There are 20 of us (the maximum) on the tour this morning. We are tendered out to the boat in groups of 5 in a Zodiac. The boat is first rate and has all the necessary facilities and equipment that we'll need. The crew (Andy, Paul, Lauren, and Felicity) are friendly and knowledgable and contribute greatly to our experience. We're offered drinks and given a quick overview of the boatand the safety features, and invited to go wherever we'd like on the boat. First we'll get outside the reef into the open ocean and within 10 minutes we've spotted our first humpback whales. We can get no more than 100 meters from them, but if they come toward us, we don'tneed to back off. Unfortunately, they've got more interesting things to do than check us out. Before the trip is over, we'll see close to 40 whales, some with calves. We also see dugongs, dolphins, and a hammerhead shark. Everyone is up front with binoculars, video cameras and digital cameras. It's not easy getting a good shot of a breaching whate, and we laugh about who has the best shot of the ocean... After about 90 minutes of this, it's time for lunch--a very impressive array of salads, meats, cheeses and fresh crayfish. No one leaves hungry. Next it's snorkelling time. All the equipment is provided as part of the fee and includes masks, snorkels, fins and even full wet suits. The equipment is top of the line and in excellent condition. Rory snorkels; Rick takes photos. Rick does not get into water he can't stand up in! By about 3:30, we're done for the day. On the way back, we're treated to a snack of fruit and pastries. Rick chats up Andy and learns that he knows of Trevor, but has never met him. He knows his son Kevin as well as John and Poppy and their son Nick. Small world--actually not so, in a town like Exmouth. We're tendered back to shore, into the bus and back to the "i" where Trevor is waiting. Bronwyn gives us a tour of her camper--very impressive; enough so that we are seriously considering checking them out when we get home. After exchanging email addresses with Bronwyn, we're on our way back to J&P's house for beers and a lamb chop and sausage barbeque, with starters of stuffed peppers. John and Poppy are terrific hosts, making us feel quite welcome. We know we've been accepted when we are the butt of several jokes. Of course, the banter between Trev and Rick continues unabated, with John automatically added to the mix. Dinner is great and we'll retire to the living room to watch a bit of telly. Poppy wants to watch the snd of a TV drama; John wants to watch the cricket and footy matches. We side with Poppy until her show ends, then it's sports for the guys. We straggle off to bed between 10 and 10:30-- a wonderful day in Exmouth.

Saturday, August 8: Our plan today was to tour the Exmouth peninsula, but we got side tracked. Rory has had some sort of infection at the base of her finger nails since before we left home. Since Exmouth is the largest town we'll be visiting for a while, we convinced her to see a doctor and get any necessary prescriptions. Fay takes Rory to the local hospital, but by the time they're finished, most of the morning is gone. As a result, we are going to spend an extra day at J&P's place. This is not exactly a disappointment... So after lunch, we're off with T&F to tour the North Cape National Park and the canyons of Exmouth. From the main road (about 13k away), you can see the range, but until you get up into it, you have no idea of the extent of the canyons. The views of the canyons and ocean from atop the ranges are spectacular, as are the colors (green, yellow, rusty red, white). Although not as large as the Grand Canyon, they're still pretty impressive. We follow the winding, dirt track to the top, pausing several times for photos. After seeing the view from the top, we drive back to the main road and then back into the floor of the canyon. Again the views are unreal. We can see caves and there seem to be "faces" everywhere on the canyon walls. A dry creek bed meanders across the road helf a dozen times. When the heavy rains come in cyclone season, the creek overflows the road and it becomes impassable. You could spend hours here, and we wonder if our friend Bronwyn, who is an artist, has spent any time here. On the way back to the house, we stop at the prawn factory for a kilo of prawns, but it's closed. We'll try again tomorrow. We also visit the new marina and the homes that are being built there. Trevor tells us that blocks (lots) go for more than A$400,000; and with a small house, over A$1 million. He's not real happy with what's happened to property "values", not only here but also all over WA. We can't help but agree with him. He should come to Florida, if he really wants a bargain :).

We're back at J&P's for another barbeque dinner. We're joined by another friend of theirs, Robbie, who went to school with Trevor in Fremantle when they were young boys. Dinner is great and afterwards, we gather around the telly to watch the cricket Test match between Australia and England. This is a game Rick does not understand, but Trevor and John give him enough of a primer so that he can follow it. He'd much rather watch footy, which is on another channel. At one point, the women (Rory, Fay and Poppy) along with Rick are watching sports, while the other guys are out on the patio. Wouldn't see that back home.

Sunday, August 9: Rick is up early to go walking with Poppy, but it appears she's already left. So Rick takes aboout a 40 minute walk to the "i" and back only to discover that Poppy has slept in! Oh well, at least he got his exercise. Believe it or not, it's cloudy this morning, but the clouds will burn off before noon. We're off to the western side of the Exmouth peninsula with T&F.. First stop is the lighthouse for morning views of the ocean. From the hill we can see at least 7 whales frolicking in the ocean. Then it's on to the Myerling Information Center. Rick is wondering about the altitude at the top of the highest canyon. The young woman at the info desk doesn't know, but Trevor finds the information on a display in the center: 314 meters (about 1000 feet) above sea level. We turn off the main road to T-Bone Bay: beautiful cove beach and not a soul on it; the kind that you see in commercials and advertisements. Then on to Turquoise Bay, which is so overrun with campers and "tourists" that we leave immediately. T&F suggest that we might enjoy a boat ride on Yardie Creek. They have done this before, but are happy to wait for us while we enjoy the experience. When we get there the second (and last) trip of the day is about to begin. Several people have pre-booked and we're not sure if we can get on. But there's room for 9 more with only 5 waiting, so we're on. The excursion lasts about an hour and costs A$25 per person. There's a couple waiting who have left their money in their car, and will have to come back tomorrow if they want to take the trip. Trevor offers to lend him the A$50-- I doubt you'd see this at home! Anyway, the ride was great. Our guide is Jutta, a marine biologist, who is very knowledgable about the local flora and fauna, not to mention geology and botany. She has the helm and we proceed slowly up the creek into the canyon. The tide is high, so we'll get a longer ride than the morning trip. Along the way we'll spot rock wallabies and several species of birds. There are also a couple of large nests for eagles and ospreys, but "no one is home". We all try to be the first to spot wildlife, with the result that we don't miss a thing! The trip lasts about 20 minutes extra; T&F are waiting for us at the dock. On the way back, we tune in the Dockers game on the radio. They are hopelessly out of the league competition, having won only three games all year. But today is different and they jump out to a big lead against Port Adelaide. Just out of town, we spot an emu walking along the road, with two baby chicks who can't have been more than a week or two old. We've seen plenty of emus in Exmouth and touring around the peninsula, but we've never seen chicks in the wild. We've got photos! Back at J&P's, John has the Dockers game on. By now they're up over 30 points and he is none too happy. He tips (bets) on footy and this has not been a good week for him as there have been several big upsets. The Dockers, after leading by 60 points, will let down a little, but still win by 42. Trevor and Rick will be "sledging" (taunting) John all night. Tonight we take pizzas and wine and go down to the beach and watch the sunset and the moon rise. The moon comes up over the horizon above the ocean in a yellow-orange ball. It's reflection on the water looks like a golden "stairway to heaven". We wonder if this might have been the inspiration for the song of the same name. Tomorrow we'll, regrettably, be leaving Exmouth. J&P have been the best hosts--we hope they will come to the States so we can return the favor.

Monday, August 10: We're awakened early this morning by a sound we haven't heard here before--rain! It's just starting so we're able to bring some camping equipment inside before it gets wet. It will rain on and off for an hour or so, enough to dampen the dust a little. We'll be leaving for Wyloo Station this morning, but first Trevor has to figure out why the directional signals on the 4-wheel aren't working. Trevor and John check all the fuses, find one that's bad, and replace it, but they still don't work. A quick trip to the local mechanic reveals that when the hazard button is pushed, it cuts out the directionals. When they come back, we're told we'll have to wait maybe 4 or 5 days for a part. This is John's attempt to get even for the ribbing he's taken since the Dockers win yesterday. He supports the Essendon Bombers, who didn't fare as well. Rick consents to have his picture taken wearing John's Essendon scarf and hat to taunt Trevor. This stuff goes on all the time between "mates". Believe me, 4 or 5 more days with John, Poppy, and Dusty would have been fine with us!

After saying good byes and inviting J&P to come visit us in SC, we're off to refuel the vehicle and stock up on groceries for the next several days. We make a quick stop at the Exmouth Hardware Store where we meet Kim, who is the daughter of Glen and Cherry Dellar, who own Wyloo Station. She's got some items for us to take up to the station. It's almost noon by the time we're finally on the road. We've got almost 400k to travel, luckily all on paved roads. There are lots of clouds, which keep the temperature down, but it's getting warmer as we go north. It will reach into the mid 80s today. There isn't much to see. The terrain is more desolate and there are no animals (with the exception of the occasional dead kangaroo on the side of the road). We take turns driving and napping, with one stop at Nunutarra Roadhouse for fuel and drinks. Just before we arrive at Wyloo Station, we pass the local gold mining operation.

Wyloo Station is a private homestead (no campers) over several hundred thousand acres where they raise several thousand head of cattle. We are greeted by Cherry, Mellie (the year old dog), and her daughter, Shannon, who Rick mistakes for Kim. (They do look a lot alike.) He wonders how Kim beat us here from Exmouth (assuming she must have flown, since there is an airstrip on the station. Everyone gets a good laugh at this. We relax at the homestead for a while, then set up the caravan outside a cottage, where T&F will stay. The property is gorgeous, a modern version of an old western ranch. Just across from the cottage is a field full of cockatoos--thousands of them. Rory is looking forward to checking them out tomorrow. We'll have dinner with Glen, Cherry, Shannon, her husband Clint, and a young Brit who is working on the station (Steve). Clint fires up the barby for snaggers (sausages) and lamb chops. There's lots of good conversation over dinner, time for T&F to catch up with old friends. Tomorrow they'll begin mustering (rounding up) the cattle. We're excited to be able to witness this. This is a working station, so everyone retires early. All are in bed before 10pm.

Tuesday, August 11: We hear Glen take off in his plane as well as the sound of utes (small flat bed trucks) and motorbikes.Everyone (except the four of us) is out before 6:30 to begin mustering the cattle. Glen directs the process from the air. Cherry, Clint, and Steve are on the bikes; Shannon drives the ute. She returns with the ute around 10am. Trevor, Rick and Rory drive it out to where the herd is moving slowly toward a back paddock. (Fay stays back at the homestead, baking an apple crumble for dinner and relaxing with a good book.) We have seen this on video, but experiencing it is unique. Rick hops on the back of the ute to take photos of the herd being controlled by the three bike riders. We bring up the rear, banging on the side of the ute and shouting at slow movers to keep up with the herd, as Glen flies overhead. It's quite a site, and as the herd reaches a fence and is turned toward the right, the dust gets too heavy for Rick to maintain his vantage point on the back of the ute. After awhile, the terrain gets too rough for us to continue in the ute, so we veer off onto a track back to the homestead.

After lunch and a nap, we're off to find the old mine area to hunt for ameythist crystals. F&T have not done this before, so they aren't sure where the site is. Rick gets directions from Glen: drive out past where we turned off to follow the herd, look for the three posts on the left with the sign that says "Entry Forbidden" and ignore the sign (which Trevor is good at). Unfortunately he fails to tell us how far to follow the track, but we assume that what we're looking for is at the end of it. It is--8 kilometers of winding, rocky, and partially blocked track later. We'll spend a couple of hours searching and digging at the site. We'll collect several bags full of crystals to take back to the cottage, clean, and sort out. We'll be able to take home only a couple of the better ones, but F&T may be able to sell many of the others in the shop at Tradewinds.

There are 11 for dinner tonight, as two friends of Clint and Shannon (Travis and Lara) have arrived to spend a couple of nights. Fay makes another of her wonderful stir frys and of course there's the apple crumble. Needless to say, there are no leftovers. Tomorrow is another big day for mustering--a larger herd than today. Glen is bringing in a helicopter to help and Trevor will take one of the bikes out. We turn in even earlier tonight than last: 9:30pm. The night sky is cloudless and the array of stars and the milky way is breath-taking. Today has been the highlight of our trip so far.

Wednesday, August 12: We woke up to the sound of the helicopter's arrival. The pilot is a young woman from New Zealand, Pippa. She's been flying for 4 1/2 years and does mustering all over northern WA. Trevor won't be going out on a bike after all. Travis has drawn that assignment. Rick goes over to check out the chopper and Glen's plane which he has just landed. We'll spend a leisurely midday rock hunting near the ruins of the old homestead and shearers quarters, then back to the cottage for lunch and a relaxing afternoon. Around 3:30, the cows start to come in to the paddock across from the homestead. Rick and Mellie go down to the gate to watch. Rick is tending the gate when Cherry drives up in a ute. She is heading back out to mend a fence which is in need of a sheet of tin to prevent cows from getting under the fence and invites Rick to come along. Mellie jumps onto the back of the ute and off we go. On the way we come across Travis, who has run out of gas and is just sitting there hoping someone will realize he's still out. Cherry has a can of fuel, fills his tank, and we head off in opposite directions. We come to what we think is the section of fence that needs tending to, fix it, and return to the homestead. Turns out, we didn't fix the section that Glen had identified, and, after some discussion between Glen and Cherry about who should go back out, Cherry draws the task. Hearing this, Rick offers to go back out with her, keep her company, and open/close the gates as we go through. We do find the section of fence in question, wire up a length of tin, and secure it with a branch from a snappy gum tree. On the way back, a young kangaroo crosses the track in front of us. It is the only one we'll see the entire time at Wyloo. There are 12 of us for dinner tonight--we've been joined by Pippa and Chris, a cattle buyer who has called in to Wyloo. Rory and Fay put together a wonderful meal tonight: pasta bolognese and a special chocolate cake in honor of Clint's 27th birthday. At dinner, Rick finds out that the wonderful biscuits (cookies) he pinched from the kitchen this morning were Anzac biscuits, made by Shannon. They're the best cookies he's ever had that don't contain chocolate. He tries, but has no success in convincing her to make another batch before bedtime. Maybe she'll send us the recipe. It's been a long day for most of them, and another one coming up tomorrow, so we retire just after 9pm.

Thursday - Tuesday, August 13-18: We've got a lot of driving to do today, so we're up early to pack up the caravan and the Nissan 4-wheel. We'd hoped to say goodbye to Glen, Cherry, Clint and Shannon this morning, but they're not back and we need to get going. We're driving to Dampier, where T&F's son, Kevin, lives with his wife, Teressa, and their two kids, Mitchell (15) and Makayla (13). There is nothing to see along most of the drive. The outback here is relatively flat, with ranges on either side. There is not much vegetation, but occasionally there are clumps of purple mulla mulla and toward the end of the 400k drive, some bright red "Sturt peas". As we near Dampier, which is the port for the city of Karratha, we see many mining camps (iron ore, bauxite, salt, and natural gas). There is even a private railroad line which does nothing but enable the transport of iron ore from the mines to the port.

We arrive at Kevin's to find he is the only one home, if you don't count Deacs and Roxy, the two dogs. We're warned that Deacs takes a while to warm up to strangers and we should just ignore him, until he gets used to us. Kevin is an avid fisherman, in fact, he's quite adept at just about any activity on or in the water. His fishing boat, dubbed "Tourettes", is on a trailer in the back. Also in the back is an old camper van, which has been converted into Mitch's private quarters. What a great set-up--the perfect hang out for Mitch and his mates. The kids are at school, and Teressa works at a local eyeglass shop (Just Spectacles). Kevin works as a tugboat master, as Dampier is the port from which much of the iron ore mined in WA is shipped. He has arranged for us to go out on a tug run this evening. Trevor wants to have the Nissan serviced while we're in Dampier, and Kevin gets him booked for Monday, which means we'll be here for 5 nights. Kevin has booked us into a local caravan park, but only for two nights, so we drive there, get a spot to camp, and arrange to stay 5 nights (even though the maximum stay is only 3). We're in spot 17 for tonight, but will have to move to spot 10 tomorrow, for the last 4 nights. We return to Kevin's for dinner. Everyone is home, but Mitch has footy practice and Teressa has softball practice. (Her team is undefeated.) She has a double-header on Saturday, Mitch has a footy game on Sunday afternoon, and we hope to have a chance to see them play. Just after we arrive, Kevin gets a call--our tug trip has been cancelled. He's going to Perth for the weekend, but promises to get us out either Sunday or Monday night. In the meantime, Kevin makes a dinner of fish (red emperor) and salad, which is ready when everyone is finally home again. After dinner, we'll sit and chat while the kids watch some TV. Rick is proud to note that after playing with Roxy, Deacs has decided he's OK, and hops on the couch to sit next to him. Tomorrow is a school day, so we leave for the caravan park around 9pm. Rick opts for a shower before going to bed, figuring there will be less demand than in the morning.

Friday is laundry day and a time to clean out the caravan. It's nice to have a day to kick back. Trevor and Rick take the 4-wheel up to Kevin's to give it a thorough cleaning and washing. Tonight there's a local footy match between the Karratha Kats and Dampier Sharks. It's quite chilly, but we're well insulated with down jackets. We'll stick around for the first half. The Sharks will win the game by over 30 points and remain in first place. Saturday T&F have promised to take Mitch to Karratha for new footy boots (football shoes, for the uninitiated). Trevor needs to replace his mobile phone and while we're at the store, Rick buys a Telstra broadband USB modem so he can now get online from anyplace there's a Telstra signal (which is almost everywhere in Australia and NZ). While Rick sets up the broadband, T&F go to watch Makayla play soccer. We'll join the three of them for dinner at Kevin's (Teressa is off playing softball, Mitchell is out with his friends, and Kevin is still in Perth.) After dinner we watch "The Proposal". T&F are staying with Makayla, so we take the 4-wheel back to the caravan park. The Geelong vs. Sydney footy match is still going, so Rick watches that while Rory reads.

Rick grabs a hot shower first thing Sunday morning after which he's online. We've been interested to see if/how Skype will work. While he's updating our website, Rick notices that our friends Ed and Susan are online and gives them a ring. As we suspected, Skype works just great. This afternoon we're looking forward to watching Mitch play footy and to Kevin's return from Perth. We still have the "tugboat experience" to look forward to.

Teressa's softball team won both games last night and Mitch's footy team trounces the Karratha Kats 179-11 to remain undefeated. Kevin is back from Perth by the time all the sports for the day are over. Looks like we'll be going out tomorrow night on the tug (or we probably won't be going at all.)

Monday morning, as scheduled, Trevor and Rick take the Nissan in for service. Kevin meets them at the shopping center in Karratha and promptly locks his keys in the car. While he's trying to jimmy the lock, two police walk by. We can't resist pointing out this "stranger" trying to break into the car. Even the police get a laugh at Kevin's expense. Rick comments that this is as good as Kevin's day will get...little does he know. Kevin's got a couple of errands to run including getting credit for a couple of fishing rods he's returned. Along the way he points out to his Dad an expensive reel he wouldn't mind if Trevor bought him. Then he shows him an even more expensive one: a Stella Dogfight which retails for almost A$1600. (Before the morning is over, Trev will have purchased one for Kevin and we'll surprise him with it later.) We pick up Teressa's car at the airport, drop Kevin back at his house. After grocery shopping and some lunch, the Nissan is ready. We return Teressa's car to the airport and drive back to the house. Kevin has gotten the call; we'll be going out on the tug at 6pm. In the meantime, Trevor tells Kevin that he's put money down on the reel and gives him an empty box. Kevin realizes that Trev is pulling his leg; he's pretty excited about it and will tell his mates all about it on the boat later.

We have an early dinner of grilled fish, potatoes and sliced tomatoes. We're back at Kevin's at 5:45pm and don steel-toed boots, bright orange reflective shirts, and, later, safety glasses. No hard hats will be necessary. The call comes to report to the boat. We're about to have another unique Aussie experience. We jump in a ute and drive down to the jetty. We have to register with security. Kevin works for Western Maritime and they are the only company who still allow guests on the tugs. We walk down the steel jetty to the tug. There will be three tugs going out to guide a freighter away from its loading berth and out to sea. The freighter is fully loaded with 200,000 tons of iron ore which has been mined in Dampier and transported via rail to the port for loading. We're on Tug #2 (the Pilbarra Vulcan). Kevin gives us a tour of the tug: engine room, drive shaft/propeller junction room, the quarters, the galley, and the conference room. Then it's up to the bridge, where we meet Rob (who will be the master for this trip); Brett, the engineer, and Nick the third member of the crew. Kevin shows us how the boat is operated and explains the instrumentation as well as the procedures they will follow. We're the first to arrive at the freighter (the Aquabella) bound for China. There is a pilot on board the freighter, an employee of Western Maritime, who will direct all the operations, and stay on the freighter until it's gone 15 miles out. Then a chopper will go out and pick him up. In the meantime we watch from the bridge as our tug maneuvers to the starboard rear position. Tug 1 will be at the starboard forward position, and tug 3 will be at the rear. One of the most impressive sights is watching our tug move along sideways and exactly perpendicular to the freigter. Kevin takes the helm for a while and then goes to the bow to feed the tow line up to deck hands on the freighter. The other tugs do the same. At the pilot' s direction, the three tugs work as a team to pull the freighter away from the jetty, clear of another freighter moored in front of it, and out toward the open sea. Once the tow lines have been pulled back from the freighter, tug 3 will accompany it a short way, then return to the tug jetty, where the other two have already moored. The whole process lasts about two hours. Kevin is obviously knowledgeable and excellent at what he does. We're thrilled to have had this unique experience. On the way back to the house, we stop at the soccer field. Kevin shines the bright lights from the ute onto the field. There are 46 kangaroos (by his count) feeding on the nice grass.

We pack up the Nissan and caravan and depart the caravan park on Tuesday morning. We'll put in at Kevin's for the night. Trevor and Kevin are going fishing; Rick,Rory and Fay are off to the Burrup Peninsula and the North West Shelf Gas Project Visitor's Centre. The North West Shelf Gas Project is the largest oil and natural gas resource development project in Australia and accounts for over 40% of all the oil and natural gas production in Australia. It provides 65% of Australia's domestic supply of natural gas as well the facility to ship natural gas to international markets including Japan, China, Europe and the US. The site looks like something from a sci-fi movie set. The visitors' centre sits on a bluff overlooking the facility and contains many exhibits, models, and a movie which explains how the project was developed and how it operates. After touring the center, Rick stops to take some photos and discovers a kangaroo crouching in the bushes and spinifex no more than 10 feet away. They stare at each other while Rick gets a couple of photos and then the roo hops away.

From the Burrup Peninsula, we drive north to Point Sampson, a resort town, where we stop for snacks. There's a small aviary next to the country store, where we amuse ourselves by feeding small bits of chicken fingers to two corellas, a Major Mitchell, and a ring necked cockatoo. A few kilometers further is the old town of Cossack, which in the late 1800s was a major port town, but was superceded when Karratha was developed. Many of the old buildings are still standing including the telegraph/post office, gaol, and general store. We return to the house, expecting to find Trevor and Kevin ready to show off their catch. They're not back yet, but return about 20 minutes later--with NO fish!! We suppose that the fish were not impressed with Kevin's new reel. Tonight we go to see a talent show at Makayla's school. She is in a Michael Jackson review and quite good in it. We are well entertained; some of the students are quite good! We'll be leaving bright and early tomorrow for Broome. We'll have an all day drive ahead of us.

Wednesday, August 19: We're up and out by 8am. We'll cover over 800k today, and will pass through some of the most boring (sorry) terrain. The only thing of interest that happens today is when we stop at the Pardoo Roadhouse for fuel. As we get out of the 4-wheel to stretch our legs, a bloke waves at us. It's Travis (who we met at Wyloo Station). We don't recognize him, because he's shaved off his beard. We suppose this was Lara's doing....Rick gets about 4 1/2 hours at the wheel, with Trevor taking over for the last 70k. We pull in to a caravan park for the night (we've got reservations at another one in Broome starting tomorrow). There's a restaurant here and we treat ourselves to dinner for a change. Hot showers are in order. Tomorrow we'll begin our visit to Broone, where Rick has wanted to visit since he first came to Australia in 1991.

Thursday, August 20: We moved into the Broome Caravan Park this morning for three nights. We've got a great spot with a big shade tree and a short walk to the "male and female" toilets and showers. On the way we stopped at world-famous Cable Beach, one of the most beautiful in the world. It's a long, wide expanse of white sand. It's remarkably uncrowded. We'll come back tomorrow, perhaps take a drive down the beach at sunset. We spent most of the morning getting our site set up, setting up the tent cots and adjusting the awning. Just before noon, we're ready to drive into town to visit the "i". We'll book a tour for Saturday afternoon to visit Horizontal Falls. This entails a seaplane ride, landing on the water and transferring to a boat for lunch and then a visit to the falls before returning to Broome. While we're deciding which of several tour companies to book with, we meet Troy, who runs Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures. Normal cost is A$695 per person. He offers us a rate of A$550. Next is lunch, after which F&T return to the caravan park, while we spend the next 3 hours walking around town, window shopping, and buying nothing. The big attraction shopping-wise here is pearls. There are an inordinate number of shops selling them for a town this size (15,000). At 4:30 we meet F&T at the bottle shop to restock our supply of beer and wine. We'll have dinner at the park: snaggers (sausages) and steak, with salad. We sit around chatting and drinking until we all get tired around 10pm.

Friday, August 21: Today we "slept in", getting up at 8am! We'd like to see the local sites. There's a tour available that takes in 12 sites in and about Broome for A$90 per person. We'll wind up seeing all of them on our own for nothing!! First stop is the port area. There's a jetty that goes out into the ocean with a steel walkway. There are several people fishing off the pier, but no one seems to be catching anything. We return to the caravan park for lunch, then after a short nap, we're off to Gantheaume Point. There's a steel girdered lighthouse at the point, and the area is a sacred aboriginal ground (as important to them as Mecca or Jerusalem), whose most notable features are the layered rock formations. The colors are fantastic and we're able to find the dinosaur footprints and Anastasia's pool, despite the fact there are no signs or any other indication where they are. We really enjoy the experience of climbing around on the rocks and enjoying the rugged terrain and the natural colors found in the rocks. From Gantheaume Point we drive back into town, stop to visit the Japanese Cemetery, and then on to the Matsos Micro Brewery. Rick has read that their beers have won many awards and is anxious to try their Smokey Bishop dark lager. Too bad, they don't do tours. Rick goes into the bar to find out whether they provide free tastings. He convinces the bartender to give him a taste of Smokey Bishop. It's got a hint of chocolate; it's OK, but Rick doesn't think it's worth everyone's time. Last stop of the day will be Cable Beach. Since we didn't do the Matsos Brewery thing, we stop for a six-pack of Rogers amber ale (which we introduced Trevor to back in Freo), and some bread for breakfast. It's about 4:30 when we get to the end of the car park where the road leads down to the beach. There are lots of cars parked waiting for the sunset, but the beach is so expansive that we almost feel we've got a private spot. We'll do a little shelling, Rory collect small pieces of pink coral. As it gets closer to sunset, a group of tourists on camels approaches. There are lots of good photo ops, combining the camel caravan, the setting sun, and a three masted sailing ship that goes by. We also get a glimpse of the plane we'll be on tomorrow, returning from Horizontal Falls. We've really enjoyed the day, but none of us is particularly hungry. There's a motor speedway next to the caravan park and we're hoping it might be going tonight, but no luck--it won't happen until next weekend. We'll settle for hot showers and Rory's great toasted cheese sandwiches.

Saturday, August 22: There's a craft market across from the customs house in "downtown" Broome this morning. We had trouble with our lantern last night, so F&T drop us off at the market and go off in search of a new battery. It's a very pleasant market with local artists of all types--just the kind of place we enjoy browsing. We make a few minor purchases, enjoy fresh fruit smoothies, and chat up many of the vendors. Rick makes friends with several dogs including two West Highland White Terriers who are almost the color of the red dirt. Their owners admit to giving up keeping them white. There's a booth selling items to support baby animal rescue. They've got to tiny joeys (baby kangaroos) resqued when their mothers were hit on the highway. There's also a baby fruit bat. Rory is disappointed that she's not permitted to hold any of them, although she gets a few pats on the little joeys.

F&T haven't come back to the market and its's after 11am so we walk over to the "i" to await our pick up for our trip to the Horizontal Falls at 11:40. F&T show up for a few minutes and before long we're picked up. We're taking a tour offered by Horizontal Falls Seaplanes Adventures. The airport is right across the road from the "i". There will be 11 of us on the trip. We're gathered on the ground awaiting boarding while the pilot gives us safety instructions. He asks for volunteers to be co-pilot and Rory's hand goes right up! She boards first, then the rest of us, for the 1 hour 40minute flight. Rick has taken his air/seasick pills but is still a bit skeptical about flying in a small plane. We take off over Cable Beach, then fly over Willie Creek, Beagle Bay, and Cape Leveque. We fly at 1200-2000 feet. The views from the air are spectacular--we even spot several whales, one of which is completely visible (just below the surface) from his nose to his tail. We pass the camera back and forth between us to get the best photo opportunities. Then it's on to Talbot Bay. We can see the falls from the air, and land on the water not far away. First time we've ever landed on water. There's a platform, where we tie, don life jackets, and board a rubber boat, powered by 500hp of engine. The seats are saddle-style, with two seats in 6 rows plus a back bench seat. You throw one leg over the seat and hang on with both hands and both inner thighs. We'll be "shooting the falls" shortly, but first we're told that the falls form because of the tides forcing water thru a narrow gap in the high cliffs. The tide comes in with such force that all the water can't get thru the gap (on the side we're on) causing it to "pile up" on one side. The difference in height of the water can be as much as 5-6 meters, causing a natureal waterfall, but horizontal instead of vertical. Gradually, the water is forced thru the gap, equalizing the height of the water on either side. When the tide goes out, the effect is the opposite, with the water on our side lower than on the other side. OK...the difference is only 3 meters and it's safe to pass through the gap. We approach slowly so everyone can take photos, then, cameras put away, we hang on tight as the engines are revved up and we shoot through. It's a bit bumpy, with the biggest "bump" occuring when we do the 3 meter drop. Once through to the other side, we do some fast turns, slow for pictures, then rev up to go back through. This time it's a bump up! Wen will do this three times!! It's an awesome experience! There is only one other place in the world where there is a similar occurence--Alaska. At one point we back slowly into the falls and seem to be standing still. We're told we're doing the equivalent of 25k/hour just to remain motionless; that's how strong the tide is. After all this, a lunch of grilled barramundi is waitng for us on an open-air cruise boat. We get the chance to talk with our fellow "adventurers"; all but one of whom are Australians. We're the only Americans, pretty much as we have been, ever since we left Perth. Americans just don't go to Western Australia. After lunch, we're taken on a short cruise around Talbot Bay to see the rock formations that make up the cliff walls. We're surprised to see small trees growing out of sheer rock. Returning to the platform, we watch as the seaplane returns to pick us up. The flight back to Broome will be only 1 hour. We're flying directly back and at 5000 feet. The landing is perfect and as we deplane, our van driver greets us and gives us each a souvenir hat--nice touch! We're quite exhilarated by our experience and feel we've gotten our money's worth.

We're dropped off at the caravan park in time to relive our day with T&F and to have nice hot showers before going out for dinner. We've got a booking for 7pm at a local Thai restaurant which was recommended to T&F. We'll be eating al fresco, in a delightful setting. We all order different starters and mains. The food is OK, but not great, although Rick thoroughly enjoys the selections he's made. We're tired, and Rick turns in almost immediately after we return. He's even too tired to read.

Sunday, August 23: Our goal is to be up, packed, and out of the caravan park by 7:00. We almost make it, leaving at 7:15. Rick has a bad headache, climbs into the car, and promptly falls asleep. He'll sleep through most of the 750k we drive today. He doesn't really miss anything as the terrain is pretty ordinary. We are heading due east toward Kununarra and we'll encounter rolling hills and lots more trees than the territory we've previously traveled. We're listening to the Dockers vs. Essendon footy match which is important to us, since our friend John (the POM--slang for Englishman) from Exmouth is a big time Essendon supporter. His team won last week, beating the first place team that was previously unbeaten. We think it would be just great if the Dockers could knock them off, especially since we're the second worst team in the AFL. We keep losing the station, but the Dockers break out into an early lead. In the meantime, we have a near miss on the highway. A small cow has wandered into the middle of the road. As we break to let him cross, he stops to look at us, unaware of the triple semi barreling down on him. Luckily the semi is able to slow down, and the cow trots off, unaware of how close she came to cow heaven. We're fortunate that the semi was able to brake, or he could have knocked the cow right into us! Tonight we're "going bush"--camping in the outback. There are several places set aside along the highway and since it's another 250k to Kununarra, it'd be too dark by the time we'd get there. We have everything we need with us, we'll just have to wait until tomorrow for showers. Trevor gets the radio to work and we listen to the end of the game: Freemantle SDockers 141, Essendon Bombers 87--it's a rout. We have some fun planning how we'll sledge John. We decide to wait, since we can't get either a phone of wireless signal. He'll be dreading every call he gets in the meantime..... We celebrate with a couple of Tooheys Olds. We'll have another of Fay's great meals for tea (dinner) tonight--lamb stew. We're finished by 8pm, but no one is tired. There's not much to do except appreciate the peace and quiet of the bush.

Monday, August 24: Heard the dingos barking last night; not far from where we camped. Up very early and on the road to Kununurra by 7:10am, a new record. We've only got about 260k to drive and arrive before noon. We book in to the Hidden Valley Caravan Park--very nice; even better than the one in Broome. After choosing from several spots, we unload and set up camp. We're all tired and a hungry and are happy to have lunch right where we are. There appears to be a lot to do here, based on what we learn at the "i". We start with the Zebra Rock Gallery. This is the only place in the world where zebra rock is found. The showroom has lots of beautiful pieces, but we want to have something made for us and the stone cutters are all fishing today; so we'll come back tomorrow. We enjoy mango smoothies and Rory enjoys interacting with the cockatoos in their cages. Down by the Ord River, we feed some fish and try to tempt a small croc who does his best to ignore us. We also visit another Stone Gallery, but it's nowhere as good as the Zebra Rock Gallery. We drop T&F at the caravan park and drive to Kelly's Knob for a panoramic view of the city, but the sunset is disappointing. Checking email, we are excited to learn that Rick's nephew, Dustin, has gotten engaged!! We're already looking forward to attending his wedding in July 2011!!!!!

Tuesday, August 25: Trevor woke up with a headache and a bit of a "wog" (which turned out to be a sore throat), so we were on our own today. First stop was the Zebra Rock Gallery where we explained to one of the cutters what we wanted. He said he'd have it by tomorrow morning...... We ran a couple of errands and Fay convinced us to take the car and drive out to see the Ord River Dam and Lake Argyle. We needed petrol, and were told there was a place 11k out of town that had it for 10 cents a litre less than in town. We passed a place but it was only 3k out of town so we kept going. Didn't find it; returned to the first place, only to find we needed an account to by fuel--no cash accepted. We finally filled up in town and started again. It's about 35k to the turn off and then another 35 to the dam. It was worth the trip. We drove to the overlook and then down to the base of the dam. We spotted a young crocodile in the water at the base of the dam--about 4 feet long. We stopped for lunch at the caravan park at the dam and chatted up two couples from Melbourne. On the way back, we went looking for a couple of galleries Rory had read about. The first didn't look like it was worth going into and we never found the second one. We went back to Kelly's Knob for the sunset which was marginally better than last night, but still no big deal. Trevor cooked a chook (chicken) for dinner tonight, which was excellent--we finished it all!! Rick finished his second book of the trip and began a third. He's going to have to get serious about learning his lines for the two plays he'll be in next spring.

Wednesday, August 26: Trevor is feeling much better today. We begin the day by doing some laundry and then another drive out to the Zebra Rock Gallery only to find that they were unable to cut what we wanted. They tried again and cracked the stone, so we were resigned to not getting what we'd hoped for. Rick bought a small piece. We bought mango smoothies to take back to T&F and Rick re-discovered chocolate milk. He is hooked again. We had wanted to wash the car yesterday, but the water wasn't running, so we did it this morning. Rick and Rory went into town for lunch and a little shopping, but bought nothing. On the way, Rory spotted some birds in a large tree. She identified them as red-tailed black cockatoos. We had not seen these in the wild before. While she watched them through her binoculars, Rick circled around under the tree to get some photos. None of the birds seemed to notice him, especially one who was busily eating a nut. After we returned to the caravan park, we all went out to see Ivanhoe Crossing--a "road" under several feet of water over a dam. With the 4-wheel, we had no trouble negotiating it. Then we turned around and did it again. There were several fishermen trying for barramundi, but none was having any luck. Two little aboriginal boys were having the best time in the water, while everyone else watched. We stopped at the Hoochery Distillery to sample some rum on the way back. T&F bought a couple of bottles. There's a barbeque/picnic area just behind our caravan, where we cook steak, snaggers and potatoes. Add fresh salad to the mix and you have a pretty fine dinner. We'll be leaving Kununurra tomorrow morning, heading for Darwin.