15.10.08

the kimberley

theres nothing out here but wide open sky and red dirt sprinkled with spinifex, pandanus and gums. the road stretches dead straight to the horizon. on our right are rolling red and green hills, on the left, the blue-grey escarpment. we pass a patch of recently burnt countryside, and the colours change to brown, maroon and black. the red speargrass and sooty ghost gums attempt to break the bleak monotony. or do they add to it?

time pass. we blink and find ourselves further down the neverending road. tumbles of falling down rocks on a shrub-dotted hill. termite mounds of different shapes and sizes, up to two metres tall and wide, not as impressive as the ones in the territory, but there are certainly many varieties here: cathedral columns, flat sails and even lumpy-dumpy ones that remind me either of turd or tiramisu.


the grotto, east kimberley

fiver rivers lookout near wyndham

the bungle bungle range

remnant of the devonian reef @ geikie gorge

freshies enjoying the sun @ windjana gorge

massive boab tree (used as a prison in the past), near derby

sunset at gantheaume point, broome

5.10.08

top end

get ready for it: i have a new favourite plant, the pandanus spp. personally i prefer pandanus aquaticus, but pandanus spiralis is quite nice as well. okay, thats more than enough about plants :D

ten days of camping in mary river, kakadu and litchfield were simply amazing stuff. surprisingly mary river was my favourite, probably because there was no one else there. we camped for a couple of days at couzens lookout and had the place pretty much to ourselves. sure there is absolutely nothing to do but look at stars after seven pm, but that's the whole point, i think. kakadu and litchfield were somewhat less amazing then i'd expected, but having said that, they are still spectacular places that everyone should visit before they die. as for me, im definitely coming back this way before long: with a real four wheel drive and a winch.


scenary @ devils marbles reminded me of paintings by cezanne

canoeing down katherine gorge was a particular highlight

sunrise views from inside the tent @ mary river

view @ ubirr

plunge pool @ gunlom

florence fall: touristy but nice