While packing for this adventure, I discovered a red back spider in our food box, or at least it would have been our food box had I not fumigated the female with insect spray. Didn’t think carrying food in that box would be too hygienic after that. Just thought I would let you all know that I nearly died, as the box was under the van, and I was trying to get it out by sticking my hand inside when I couldn’t see…or perhaps I’m dramatising the whole event a little. I tend to do that in this blog.
We left on Wednesday afternoon, took the Rio Tinto Rd short cut. Drove part of the way next to a massive train carrying iron ore. Yep, that would probably make its way to China and build up our economy. Scenery was spectacular though. It was along this road that we managed to spot three dingo puppies – they were so cute!
Thursday was our abseiling tour. I am hoping to upload a video of it. They gave us all the photos and videos they took throughout the day, but the video they did at the end was really long, so I will cut it down a little and post it up here another time (when I have time to do it). It was spectacular. In my opinion, Karijini National Park is one of Australia’s best kept secrets. It is amazingly beautiful. Breathtakingly stunning. My use of adjectives may be superfluous but I believe they are warranted.
We did the tour with four other people and a guide who looked a lot like Russel Coigt (lucky for us it was only by looks that he reminded us of him!) The water was cold, so we were dressed in wetsuit tops and pants – transformed into Karijini Ninjas! We climbed down one gorge (Knox Gorge) which got really narrow. We had inner tubes that we were pushing along in front of us, and we came to a water fall 8m high that was a natural slide. We slid down. Then abseiled down another 5m waterfall, before scrambling out of Knox gorge into Red Gorge – the biggest, with green water and red cliffs lining it. We then paddled on the tubes (totally the next Olympic sport) 1.2km to a place called Junction Pool. It is here that four gorges meet. We had seen it from a lookout on our previous trip and it was great knowing that we were at the bottom. We then climbed up another narrow waterfall, through a place called the Centre of the Earth, to come to another pool we had to rock climb around and up. After that it was a mere spider walk and a couple of climbs out of a different gorge (Hancock). I have put a few photos here to give you an idea.
We were lucky enough to be able to share the rest of the trip with a couple we have met through the Baptist Church. It was great to be able to spend some time with people, get to know them and have a great time swimming and trekking through these gorges. We also met a nice German couple on the abseiling tour, and Caleb took the opportunity to invite them around and educate them on Australia. After a glass of wine or two, I was game enough to recite a German poem I learnt in grade 5, and they actually understood what I was saying! We had a great night that night, sitting around a fluoro light, watching the bugs fly so fast that they look like lines, gazing at the stars and the biggest Milky Way you have ever seen!
For more photos, check out the side bar of the blog (as well as Facebook) where I will be putting some photos shortly. It really is magnificent.
We have come back to our van now, after a great four days with friends and nature. Back to work and study. Only 5 weeks left of this semester for me, and after our little interlude, its time to get cracking and knock this degree on its head!!
