Bungle Bungles

  Purnululu, Australia
Saturday, July 19, 2008

From Kununarra we detoured south 300kms to see the spectacular Bungle Bungles, or Purnululu to use the traditional owners' name.

Purnululu

Extraordinary sandstone escarpments with colour stripes caused by layers of oxidised iron and cyanobacteria covering the delicate sandstone underneath. The last 50kms were quite a drive in, crossing several streams and some rocky patches, causing Denise to clutch our passports in terror. But the road kept the caravaners out and once in we were again in the land of beautiful remote campsites - though a little busier than before. In fact we ended up having to but in to the other half of somebody else's campsite when we arrived late and found all spots taken. When our involuntary neighbours returned from a walk we were relieved to see them also a family. And they seemed pleased to have kids around for theirs to play with. When they said goodbye the next morning they were still being friendly, but I doubt they were sending us good thoughts at 4 in the morning when Lily threw her first serious nightly screaming fit of the holiday.

The kids have been doing spectacularly well so far. Neil was just commenting in the car today to Denise how good Lily has been so far. So right on queue she threw her second tantrum of the day causing Dad to pull over until calm had been restored. But that really was the exception and so far we have had no trouble with the driving. Maia if anything enjoys the driving more than anything else as she can bury herselves in her books. We didn't realize when securing our large 4WD that one of the most important features would be the extra depth of the footwells compared to a normal car to allow Maia to stash her library. Keeping her supplied is proving to be one of our most difficult quarter master tasks. There are remarkably few bookshops in Northern Australia. Even in Darwin we only found two and were told of others closing in recent months. In other towns we have gone from unlikely corner to unlikely corner sifting through scruffy book exchange shelves in the hope of a real find like a Nancy Drew or Saddle Club tucked behind the Mills and Boon. Denise and Neil, having brought a modest 3 or 4 books have found themselves able to read about 5 pages a day. D doesn't like reading in the car, N is doing the driving. And it's non stop at the campsites. On finally climbing into the tent we bravely flick through the first 20 pages again by the light of a lantern trying to find where we left off last night only to fall asleep almost immediately regardless of the fact it's not even 9 O'Clock and we haven't made it to the end of chapter 1.

From here it's hundreds of kilometers of dirt road as we start our voyage along the Gibb River Road. Fingers crossed that we make it without too many punctures and with shock absorbers in tact. But then there's always Avis roadside rescue - isn't there?