From Derby to Broome,through the Pilbara...Exmouth and Carnavon

After a week of R n R with Kathy it was on the road again....

The Boabs were just coming into flower...

...and it was on to Broome...

A very Ritzy and Touristy town and very crowded...We limited our visit to a day..but I just had to see Cable beach before we went on, after hearing so much about it and sure enough it was absolutely beautiful with its pristine waters..shame about all the tourists!

We travelled south camping a night at Portsmith...they had a fish n chip night on funding raising for the RFDS...so we thought why not!...ended up having a great night...an aboriginal band played songs from the 60's and 70's,big campfires going and literally the whole camp joined in.

Then it was on to Port Headland....big industry area where all the iron ore thats mined around the area is railed in for processing and sending overseas to places like China.We had to stop at a rail crossing for a train carrying iron ore that seemed to go on forever...we asked the roadtrain driver ahead of us...how long do these trains go on for?...his reply...How long is a piece of string?...can be up to 5kms long!

On our way in we came across a field of termite mounds, each with a helmet placed on top...is this what you do when you 'throw your hat in' at the mine?

....also salt is processed there....

Huge pile of salt!

Then we went inland heading for the Karinjini national park...camped on a lookout hill on the way on the Muijana Ranges....The view was amazing....the temperature...hot through the day and freezing at night..especially with almost galeforce winds that added to the chill factor!

Hans creating an aboriginal work of art with ochre stones and charcoal from the campfire.

No....I haven't put on weight!...just added 3 layers of clothes!

Karijini National Park boasts many deep and amazing Gorges where people can absail into them.. but what I loved about the area and its surrounds were the wildflowers...

Its such a magic time of year to be in the Pilbara area...so I went wild with the camera and everytime I saw a new variety, Suzy came to a holt on the side of the road, to capture a photo of it...Here a but a few of the many I photographed...

Sturts desert pea.

Flowers hand picked for me from Hans

This is what the countryside looks like!....millions of years ago this was the sea bed!

Check out this little fella!....He/she blended in beautifully...till he moved.

Exmouth....where Pilbara (desert) meets the reef... beautiful beaches and again tourist orientated...

Found these awesome shells on the beach....

Moved on down the coast looking for a place to stay away from the crowds but everywhere you turn to or go its either ...Private property/No tresspassing or...

Arrived in Carnavon late evening and booked into a cabin for a couple of nights...looked around the sights of Carnavon...it's really got a great feel to it....reputedly the horticultural centre of Western Australia....good variety of crops from tropical fruits to vegetables...checked out the pier,

and 'the dish' (a now defunct satelitte dish for telecommunications and apparently had something to do with the Apollo missions)

Saw this old medicine chest in a museum there...bit before my time but I remember the aspro in these bottles!and check out the wicker wheelchair!...definitely before my time!

So thats where we are at the moment...thank you to all those who have written a comment...its sooo good to hear back from you all...

Back soon :)