Karijini National Park, part 1

6 April 2012

April 3rd.

So everyone I met kept on talking about this most amazing park “oh my god you gotta go it’s insane”. Even my mate Kwentine back in … where is Kwentine these days anyways ? Belgium or France ? Anyways, apparently it’s a must. So okay fine, I’ll go to Karijini and be amazed. On my way out of the camping site, I bump into Daniel (?), my free-dive instructor in Noumea, with his wife. I point them to the direction of the shark cruise and off I go. Small world.

Before leaving Coral Bay I fill up the water tank, AUD$2.00/1L so that’s cheap I guess. I paid for 40L meaning I’ve only used 3L per day since Perth. Not bad. I guess life on boats did teach me something 🙂 Speaking on boats, I did realize yesterday I actually missed the ocean, and I thought I was a land person… Anyways, back on the road now, heading inland for a change.

I must have picked up some dodgy fuel when I refilled at Nanutarra Roadhouse because I can practically see my gauge go down. Damn. And the temp goes up as soon as I turn on the aircon.

Finally, Tom Price, a mining town right next to the park. It just started to rain, that’s a nice change too, I haven’t seen rain for over a month now. Well it didn’t last but it was enough to keep some of the dust on the road. Being a mining town, it’s mostly blokes who live here, on a temporary basis. They’re about 5000 of them, with a local population of roughly 50. Most cars are 4wd or utes, with big fluo on the side doors and huge traffic lights on the roof rack. All trucks are the size of a house, and everything in town is red with dust. That’s Tom Price for you.

So on the tracks leading to and from Karijini, I pass these monstrous trucks, as wide as my car is long, and when they do pass me, I’m engulfed in a big cloud of red dust, some of which I’ll find has gone inside. There’s just no way to keep it out of the car, no matter how tight I think the windows are shut. Dust will get in. Period.

It’s already 5PM when I reach the first campsite, just in time for a swim at the Fortescue Falls, before the sun sets once and for all. The gorge itself is massive, there’s a short walk down to the rock pool and the water is warm with the rocks heat. Just perfect after a drive day.

Distance today: 658km, total 8942km.