Day 4

It was a long day today- we really loved Cape Levique – but got up at sparrows ( after a breakfast of condensed milk coffee and Ouma se beskuit rusks – The early morning sun is lightly painting the landscape with a shale of yellow , we head for Broome and onto Fitzroys Crossing – 700k today. Halfway to Broome we find a young couple with a Mitsu L 300- engine has given up the ghost- not surprising on a road where the corrugations are twice the size of the speed bumps. Desire though keeps purring through the red sand , Marilu taking her first drive on an outback monster road. We pumped the tyres back up to 45 filled the tanks and hit the road.


We fixed up the youngsters , because out here you could be next. The indifference of city folk is unknown here. I stopped to point percy at a Boabab and as a road train went by the UHF crackled

“ every all right there buddy? “ all good mate I said. Even if it looks like you are might be stuck – everyone is concerned and helpful.

I guess it’s the wide open spaces that make you relax, you can drive for an hour and not see car. The wide blue sky reduces you to the right size in the universe, the right proportion. Some of it is unremarkable but what is interesting is the sudden change of landscapes , I mean really sudden, paper bark trees appear out of nowhere, then disappear, then a grove of mangroves, suddenly a regiment of Boabab soldiers, reaching for the sky. Dry and dusty and un-expectantly a huge billabong, teeming with life. – you feel free and liberated.

The sun is behind us shadows are stretching out – and Geike Gorge has its last boat ride at 3 – if we can make that today tomorrow is easy, just 300k and 4 gorges - a lazy day. I ask Desire can you do this baby ? she says sure sugar watch this as she pumps the reves up to 2500 and moves to 110 k , I am watching the heat guage but she is cool as a cucumber. 3 minutes to spare we make the boat trip at Geike Gorge. The Gorge is a steep narrowing in the middle of a river that runs for 700 kilometres.

You look at the cliffs of the gorge and the sheer and obvious age lets you know they have been here for millions of years before you and will be here for millions of years after you, in awe you feel like a temporary comma in a very long sentence.

Get this, this was once and open channel to the sea. The land mass closed up and left behind what ? That’s right freshwater sharks , they could not get out, so they changed , mutated. Just like the saltwater crocks, hard times me droogies , adapt or die , don’t just give up …. Jeez I am learning stuff out here so quickly , it would decades in the city. – But that’s not the big news mate here they have FRESH WATER SWORDFISH .

We meander down the river with a rainbow of colours reflected on the cliff, its great , the water is olive green , the banks are red, the colours swirl and enchant.

Tired we make our way to the Fitzroy River Lodge. A Room ( no camping tonight ) that makes Hannibal Lecters Cell look like a palace cost us $200 – its one thing we did not have the luxury of ; there are bargains but you have to find them, it takes serious trip planning and booking ahead. Still weary but content, we go for Barumundi at the restaurant, its expensive because they say it has been imported, why one asks the Geike Gorge is teeming with Barrumundi ?? See ya

Day 3

We leave Broome and take the 200k dirt road to Cape Levique. The earth is red , really red and the olive green trees and blue sky makes you realise that the Creator was the original decorator.


Close to Cape Levique we turned off the road and drove 60 k for the only advertised Cappaccino 200k , Sharon would be proud of us. ( she is an expert coffee shop citizen ) – Whale Song Café – a tin shack perched on a precipice overlooking a spectacular Bay, a place where shoes are banned and the hippie couple that serve you are eking out a happy existence. We were one of two couples and they forgot half our order, sticky date and Blueberry pie.

When you arrive at Cape Levique, you stop for a moment - you have to take a deep breath – its all too much to take in at one glance. I realise something what Australia lacks in wild animals it certainly makes up for in coloured landscape. Here you see beaches that range from ice white, to light pink to dark orange framed by rocks of every imaginable colour, black volcanic rocks , red rocks, white and pink rocks – the sea is once again aquamarine to deep blue. Great swimming here the water is warm and there are no Box Jellie’s no salty crocks.

Whats really nice about this place is it caters for everyone. You can have a luxury cabin or a safari tent ( made in South Africa … pitched on a little wooden deck, complete with bed, cabinet and drawers inside and bedside lamp or just a shelter, made of grass , where you park your 4x4 , the shelter is made of grass and is perched on flat rocks – 20-30 meters from the sea.

Lu goes in to the office arrange the accommodation that Nic organised for us, I carefully lock the car and follow. We have a great lunch at the restaurant with its outback architecture collect our sheets and towels and head for our safari hideout , back at the car I have left the side door open and the back of the van ajar – although both front doors are locked – Outback fever got me nothing matters out here.

Lu cooks Boerewors we found at Coles supermarket in Broome – Die Boere Kom. We chat to others and swop stories, sleep early – Tomorrow Fitzroy Crossing

Day 3 - Broome

Cable beach

Colour of rocks here

Desire

Lu

Tiny the camel

Day 3 amidst reports of dark clouds and continued storms on the east coast Marilu and I sit at Zanders for breakfast under an azure sky and a never ending aquamarine coastline. This is a spot for the wealthy slumming it, also there are many foreign accents - no doubt Broome has made it to the a good spot on the aussie map. The town is speckled with pearl sellers - and the chinese junk pearl boats work long hours off the coast. The beach is ice white and is packed but no -one in the sea, they are waitng for the wind to change and drive the box jelly fish off shore because if those criters get you , you are toast - we unpack Desire, and restock with supplies Lu has bought rusks at Cape to Cairo in Perth. I open the Bonnet to look at her chest, Nic talks me thru the fluid levels on the phone. Ok we know this baby.

This is a pretty town, tropical and lush - yet strangely sparse. The earth is red. Lu and I go for a drink, its so hot the hotel has sprinklers that spray a fine mist over guests sipping near frozen beers. At 4 we go for a sunset ride on the camels at Cable Beach. We make friends with Tiny the camel. He zig zags his way onto his feet, the camels bark and grunt as we start our walk. They all have very different faces and each has its own charector. On the way back, the sun sets and what we show you here must be one of the most photgraphed sunsets on the planet. The beach is wide and flat, the wind has turned the swimmers are in the surf many 4X4 descend on the beach fishermen, swimmers, surfers, all to watch the sunset.

Tomorrow we leave this place and we will be back. My lasting impression is the Outback Architecture, clean lines built with mostly Corrugated Iron. - something I will bear n mind when we build on the farm. The corrugated iron looks good with wood trimmings and large windows. The landscape is similar, everything is outsize, the horison is wide, the beaches are long and uninteruppted- the blue sky goes forever.

Delica Diaries Part II

Delica Diaries Part II


Desire' the Desert Delica is parked at the Broome Airport waiting for the new desert pilots to arrive for the second leg of her journey to Darwin. Across the country I am frantically clearing the decks before I meet Marilu in the tail end of a severe storm to get the train from the Opera House to the domestic terminal, its been raining for a week. Lu will be great Navigator, I see her on the platform - backpack, computer ( which I need for this missive ) and Camera all slung around her shoulders and wearing what I love most that big smile. We look at the departure list as the flights are being cancelled but Jetstar to Perth makes the cut and we are off.

We arrive in Perth at 12 pm - Ok Navigator talk to me, just find Afflick Street she says looking at the map as she turns green because like most females of the species she cannot drive in the car and look down. We decide to phone Mel and Toff ( two orphans that have relocated to Perth with whom we are staying ) No problem says Toff just follow Highway 2 until you get to the Scarborough turnoff - in his characteristic French accent-

In the background I hear Mel say "Cedric Street" no no Scarborough says Toff - he clearly knows what he is doing

1.5 hours later on Highway 2 the name "Jundaloop" appears on the signboard - Marilu asks , musing at the map have you passéd Cedric Street ? the coincidence is too great - we phone Toff. Jundaloop ?? you are halfway up the coast !! turn around come back, turns out there is no Scarborough turn off. We find them with a welcome cup of coffee at 3 am. Great to see our orphans are settled and happy.

Next day off to Broome. Quaint is not the word. I did not think that there was such a thing as Outback architecture - wrong - its airy, tin shackie, tropical , simplistic, warm and friendly. The airport is like the old days Marilu says, everybody is happy here, not a suit or briefcase in sight, people hugging an kissing and squealing with happiness to see friends and family.

Where is she Marilu asks ? I gaze across the carpark - yellow fuel cans and spare tire on the roof give her away. Will she start Marilu says ? I read Nic's instructions "Click the engine over twice" I turn the key click, click she goes, and that diesel engine purrs into life - heya sweet cheeks I am Desire the Desert Delica where are we going ? We pull up at the hotel. There is a crowd outside. Zoe has drawn a map of the trip on the car in chalk. They start at Sydney and walk around the car - looking at the pictures drawings of crocodiles and camels and names of places you cant pronounce called Oodnadatta - this is fantastic , what a brilliant idea they say, looking at me expectantly, yeah I say in my best Australian drawl - it been a long drive from Sydney.

STAGE 2 - DELICA DIARIES - GIBB RIVER ROAD

Stage 2 of the Delica Diaries takes Martin and Marilu from Broome to Darwin via the spectacular Gibb River Road. Rated as Australias number 2 most popular senic drive, Gibb River Road encompases a spectacular off road track through the kimberlies via canyons and gorges. Search the Gibb River Road on google images and it will give you a taste preview of whats to come. From this point, Marty and Lu will be posting so enjoy.

First post will be in the morning.

Take care

Farewell

Sunset - Perth Friday 30 May 2010 - Taken by Melanie Charles

As this golden sphere of fire tints the earth in a brilliant orange and wishes us farewell for another magnificent day, which will become history, and one which will vanish with time, it leaves me standing infront of a square edged mirror, so that that i can still see forward, and always reflect.

This trip has been a milestone in my life. I feel that as im getting older, Im beginning to understand how un-important my little problems are, and how important it is to live my life. Life. Exactly what does that mean ? Would it be easy if you could read it in a book, or see it in a movie or have someone tell you the meaning. Do you have to loose some you love, or come close to death ? Do you have to see your partner standing before you in pledge of love or perhaps see your first child being born ? Do you have to take an adventure where every day brings a new suprise, not one that is purchased, but one that is given to by virtue of the question which placed you where you are, or will you wait for life to fall into your lap ? Whatever it is, make it happen, because you time on earth, like this sunset, will come to an end, you too will reflect, and the quetion you will ask yourself is, does my mirror reflect the life i wanted.

Thank you

We would both like to thank everyone who had joined our blog and followed our journey through the red center. It has been one of the very fantastic experiences of my life. And I would most definitely do it again. Having said that, my parents will be driving the van along the gibb river road to Darwin and they are very keen to continue the legend. This trip will start on the 5th of june so stay posted.

I want to say a very very special thank you to Zoe. She has made thjs trip unreal She printed off maps and made an actual travel plan of places to stay and things to see along the way. Her cooking has been superb and fit for only the royal. She has been an excellent travel companion and her effort in this trip has just made the biggest difference in the world.

I would like to extend my thank you to Zoe’s mom who paid for the food. Thanks ma. As I mentioned before, the food made this trip for me. Thank you so much for feeding me.

I want to thank Mark at the Delica shop for helping me source parts in preparation of getting the van ready in time. Thanks Mark. Check his site out if you need Delica Parts. Thank you very much Mark. www.delicashop.com

Thank you Phil for all the work you did on the Delica and on your Sundays where you should have been spending time with your wife and kids.

I would like to thank my employers for giving me the time off work. Dwayne and Innexus. Thank you for making this possible for me.

Thanks Craig for lending me your farm while the van was offline and being worked on. And to my parents and sister to made the cook book.

Thank you Bjoern and Paul Shepard for you help and advice. I left all the wiser and a little more prepared and it really did pay off.

Lastly, I want to say thank you to my girl Aeysha who has been patient and understanding and supportive about this whole trip. She has shared my excitement, and been so great about everything. I can only imagine how at times she must have felt left out. Don’t worry bubba, our time is coming very soon. Thank you for being you and a one of a kind human being. Im lucky to have you in my life.

If anyone has any questions, there is a comment box at the bottom of the page. Ask away and we would be super keen to inspire you to see what we have see.