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

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

the centre

it surprises many people, including myself, how far we have travelled in less than three weeks. the car has already clocked six thousand kilometres since i left brisbane. are we going too fast? should we be spending more time in fewer places? all i know is i need a break from the mozzies and the flies and the twice-a-day application of 80% deet.

we spent about a week in the centre and i have completely fallen in love with the desert nothingness. in particular, i love spinifex grass. i know it's a strange thing to love but there it is. i love how it coats gorge walls and mountain sides in its fluffy green and yellow and breaks up the monotony of red and brown. there has been a few good walks too: kings canyon rim walk and section 12 of the larapinta trail to mt sounders, both visually stunning and physically satisfying. ormiston gorge was quite nice, too, in case you were wondering...


chilling out @ uluru

sunset @ kata tjuta

desertscape @ rainbow valley

the dry riverbed @ simpsons gap

gal and poyi feeling very small @ ormiston gorge

yep, that's where we're going @ mt sounders

back on the road

gazing into eternity @ st germain pier

where the hell are we? gal and poyi at wilpena pound

 

a whole lotta nothin' on the oodnadatta track

 

chilling out @ mutonia sculpture park

dusk @ coward springs

hanging loose

my days are decided on a whim. while i've been on the road, external factors had played a big part in their shaping: where i am going to sleep; what i am going to eat; when i need to get up. now that i am home, i have withdrawn into a cocoon of self-indulgence. i sleep until i am no longer tired. i eat as much as i want of mums cooking. i play computer games for hours. apart from a few chores and applying for jobs, the only worries i have are my desires. god it's a tough life! but i am slowly and surely becoming disgusted at myself.

i can't remember what it feels like to be a doctor. for what seems like the last few weeks in europe i dreamed about work every night. it wasnt exactly unpleasant, either. was i missing the camaraderie? the feeling of power, responsibility and purpose? it certainly wasnt the hours or the stress? and i definitely havent missed the game of hamming up my resume, picking the right tie to go with the shirt, or sucking up to hr. god knows i suck at it. i am scared but i am looking forward to it. hopefully i will have a job in melbourne next year.

i'd forgotten how cold it gets in melbourne. ballarat is going to be even colder. i wonder why i like it there so much? it could be that it was my first hospital, that i got to know lots of people, and that they happened to be lovely. perhaps melbourne will be just as good. i doubt it though.