Red Gorge Adventure

Oh my – words just fail me – which is going to be a bit of a problem given I have a blog post to write. I’ll do my best to convey the wonder of my canyoning adventure but may have to resort to some fairly overused adjectives such as awesome, amazing, incredible, mind-blowing etc., etc…

I mean, I thought the gorges were pretty remarkable anyway, but nothing prepared me for my epic adventure into the heart of old Karijini. There is nothing quite like going places that you can’t ordinarily get to – being so remote that it seems like you are the only people on the planet while simultaneously reminding you how insignificant our lives are in the presence of rocks millions of years old. Continue reading

Can I have the key to my room, please?

So I’ve made several rookie mistakes on my flashpacking/glamping adventure. The first was bringing an ungodly amount of white clothing on this vacay. Note to self for future outback adventures: red dirt gets EVERYWHERE! Second was to ask for my room key for my tent lol. Now I did realise my mistake as the words were leaving my mouth, but you can’t take it back once it’s out there. The third – and this is probably the biggest of them all: I didn’t prepare in any way for hiking up hill and down dale. My calves are on fire and I’m sure I’ll be in a sorry state for basketball Saturday (sorry girls). Continue reading

Flash packing

Holy mother of god – I’m staying in another caravan park! But never fear, I haven’t given up on my desire for luxury accommodation and the finer things in life generally, I’m merely positioning myself in Tom Price to take maximum advantage of my stay in the beauteous Karijini Eco Retreat. Mind you, in Tom Price this is about as good as it gets anyway, and at least I got treated to an early evening concert of country favourites, dined at a combination Asian/Chinese/Indian restaurant and caught a tonne of Pokemon lol. Life is good 🙂 Continue reading

Famous last words

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Fish butts

It occurs to me, as I trudge alone on an isolated 4WD track heading to a remote beach to do some snorkelling, that this might not be the smartest thing I’ve ever done. Oh sure, I’ve done far stupider things; some in the name of love and some for no reason at all, but age should really have given me something else besides wrinkles. A slip on the rocks a short time later confirms my hypothesis, although the lack of mobile reception should have done that already. But I trudge on regardless. The tracks of those that have gone before me reassure me in some small measure. Not all are human. But at last I reach my goal. Only… I work myself into such a state at the thought of being snatched by a great white shark and no one knowing I’m gone that I barely skim the edge of the reef and hurtle back at break neck speed to the safety of the shallows. It strengthens my resolve though: I’ll do this in a group next time so if a shark attacks I’ve got a chance of making it out alive. Continue reading

Call me Ishmael

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Charlie the boat dingo

A dingo sat next to me on a boat this morning and nuzzled my neck. So that was different. I mean, I knew there was a good chance I’d see a whale shark, but I wasn’t expecting the dingo. But let’s not get distracted by my canine friend – I came to Coral Bay to swim with the whale sharks and swim with the whale sharks I did. Well actually, it was only one shark which we swam with repeatedly, but who the hell cares? I swam with a whale shark and have the stubby holder to prove it!

I was so disoriented when I jumped in the water that I had no idea where the whale shark was until I, belatedly turning on instruction from the wildly gesticulating crew member, found him right behind me! I was so excited I nearly dropped the camera and all my photos are very badly framed indeed as a result of my shaking hands. So often these touristy things can fail to live up to expectations, but this was simply marvellous. Continue reading

Trailer Park Trash

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Coral Bay

I’m staying in a caravan park. There. I’ve said it. I’ve been trying not to think about what I knew deep down to be true, but when I decided to go swim with the whale sharks, there wasn’t a lot on offer and sometimes you have to take what you can get. I’ve been suppressing memories of Mandurah for a good forty years now, and finally I come full circle. Oh well. It’s worth it to be in Coral Bay, although for $200 a night I usually get a whole lot more in the accommodation department! Continue reading