Sunday 17^th June, 2012

During the night we experienced different noises. First our fire alarm started to beep and only calmed down after we removed the batteries. We guess it was the cold smoke from the fireplaces. Then there was the howling of the dingos and at the end the birds whistling their morning song. We just started to drive when a few wallabies jumped over the road. A bit further a dingo crossed the road. At Yurmilkmik we started to hike to a viewpoint. We just start as Konrad spotted moving rocks. At a second look they were wild pigs. Some of their ancestors must have been escaped. Then we crossed a suspension bridge and hiked through dry grass to the view point. Here again we had a wonderful view over the National Park. Here I got induced to walk another few kilometers to the Motor Car Falls. A wide path led nearly to the falls, only the last few meters we had to climb over rocks. The effort was worth it as we got to a waterfall with a relaxing ambiance.

Back at the camper we continued driving to Bukbukluk and a short walk allowed for another view over the park. Then we drove to the Gagudju Lodge in Cooinda. On the way we saw at times the flames blazing in the grass to clean the country. After a break we drove to Nourlangie. A walkabout passed different places with rock art. Then we walked up the nearby Nawurlnadja and enjoyed the view to Nourlangie. As the sun was about to set we drove slowly back to the camping site. On the way we saw a wallaby crossing the road. In the restaurant of the lodge we enjoyed a nice dinner. Our stock of food is going low and as we are soon flying back we did not buy much.

Friday 23^th March, 2012

I was awake already at sunrise. I went outside, observed a small rainbow and enjoyed the sunrise. Sandra got awake a little bit later and thus we started early today. We hiked to the Fortescue Falls which is a bit smaller that the one yesterday. But we could climb the rocks at the sides and thus could enjoy from all sides. Then we walked on a venture along a unsigned path. It proved to be right path. We ended up at the Fern Pool, a small pool with a waterfall. We enjoyed a refreshing morning bath and swam a bit. There was a sound I did not recognise. When I saw the bats in the tree I knew the source of it. Back at the start we walked to two lookouts. On the way we often saw grasshoppers flying away. Our destination we reach after a bit more than 30 minutes. From the Cirular Pool Lookout you can see another pool deep in the gorge where already a few people were swimming. We went back on the same way, but it was a bit faster as we had less picture stops. That was our last hike in the National Park and we decided to drive to the south.

The lunch break and refuelling stop was at a road house. Here it was very busy and we a few road trains (trucks with several trailers). During our 600 km long drive we saw a few animals crossing the road. First a dingo, then two big lizards and some cattle. From time to time we met an oversize truck with different load, from big tires to houses. The further we got the more pools where a the side of the road. At one spot we could not help but had to stop to take a picture of them. A bit after 5pm we reached Meekatharra where we found a place on the camping to stay overnight. In the evening it got cool fast and we were glad about a jacket. Now the temperatures got more pleasant and in the morning and in the evening it is already getting cool.