The Golden Orb Spider

This is probably the last post for a few days as mobile reception will run out soon. 

As I am in Kununurra , I decided to treat myself to a cruise on Lake Argyle. 

You may not know much about the lake, but it is pretty big. They were overwhelming us with info, and it seems you could fit 18 Sydney harbours into it.

The cruise itself was pretty good, with a great smorgasbord lunch provided. 

The highlight however was the Golden Orb Spider which resides on numerous of the man made islands. This Spider weaves a random web, looks terrifying, but has an amazing trick. It's web fabric is so strong they make bullet proof vests from it. Apparently heaps stronger than Kevlar which is what the military use. 

A slightly bizarre fact is that the poor old male male is a tenth the size of the female. 

I have lots of pics taken on the Nikon Coolpix, but will have to wait for a docking session 

The Bungle Bungles and a "short" trip to Kununurra

The Bungle Bungles

Now known as Purnululu  This has been on my wish list for years , especially when on my Gibb River Rosd trip 5 years ago, I was within 100km from it, but decided not to detour. Considering it is about 4000km from Melbourne it wasn't much of a detour. 

Anyway now that I am in the area again, this opportunity won't pass. 

Purnululu is a national park with some wonderful attractions. 

Firstly the amazing beehive like mountains created by the weathering of millions of years. 

Secondly are a number of attractions like Echidna Chasm. Viewing this wonder involved for me anyway, a fairly strenuous walk up and I mean up a rocky dried up river bed, and then winding through a very narrow rocky passage with only occasional glimpses of the sky way up in the distance. 

I will include a short video. Keep a watch for the amazing dragon flies. 

My latest detour is to Kununurra.  Probably a bit stupid as its extra travel, but the appeal of that huge Lake Argyle is drawing me. Plus Halls Creek camping ground is very ordinary. 

Did I mention the temperature is mid thirties 

Turns out I can't include a video using the iPhone Blogger app. I'll try and put it on you tube

The Tanami

The Tanami route has always been a right of passage for four wheel drivers. One of the highlights of the trip was to stop over at The Rabbit Flat Roadhouse. It's particular claim to fame was that it was the most remote roadhouse in Australia. The owner was also renown as notoriously grumpy person who only opened on certain random days of the week, usually Tuesday Wednesday and Friday from memory. If you rolled up needing fuel on the wrong day, you just had to wait till he opened up on the next right day. 

And there was no other option for fuel for 300 km in either direction. 

So you had to wait. Sadly he finally closed down about 5 years ago as he was probably sick of those pesky customers. Did I mention that he reputedly had this gorgeous French wife whom no one had ever met. 

I actually spoke to her on the phone once about five years ago when I last went through, and rang ahead to make sure I would be there on an open day. 

He also had the dearest fuel in Australia, but I guess no one could go elsewhere. 

What this now means for me and for that matter all others, is that drivers have to carry abot 150 litres of fuel. Fortunately no worries for me with the new, now working tank.

The road on the South Australian side of the border was not too bad, with signs of recent maintenance, but once over the West Australian border it was just woeful, with giant pot holes, wash aways, crevices big enough to loose a small car etc. and of course endless corrugations. This is what brought me undone on the last trip, but the new suspension seems to coping much better than the old one. I felt it was a good test for the actual CSR 

While driving along, battling with the poor quality of the road, and literally hundreds of kilometers from anywhere, I suddenly saw this apparition in form of a cyclist on a three wheeled tricycle pedalling furiously up the hill. I couldn't believe my eyes. In fact he was the only other person or vehicle I came across during that trip heading my way. 

The only other item to brighten my day was that I suddenly realised I had picked up a hitch hiker. In the corner of my eye I noticed something scurrying across the outside of the drivers window. Back at home it would have been a huntsman spider, but it was on my perifiral vision, and I decided to stop for an inspection. It turned out to be the cutest little lizard who could defy gravity by walking accross a moving car window while the car was shaking and crashing about on the corrugations. I pulled over and attempted to photograph this amazing athlete, but he or she was camera shy and proceeded to play hide and seek around the snorkel. I did get one peek a boo type shot. 

The tricycle and lizard definitely made the journey far more enjoyable and after another  three or four hours the camp ground for the night was in sight. 

I should add that this particular stretch is normally done in two days, but because I was travelling east to west, and crossed a state border,  I gained one and half hours in time difference, which meant I could still arive at a reasonable time. 

2016 The Canning Stock Route

On Sunday morning , not as early as I hoped, I finally got away. If it wasn't packed by now it was staying home. 

The travelling went well, and by nightfall I was in Mildura. 

One major task still to be done was to fill the 215 litre diesel tank with cheap fuel at the first opportunity. Mildura was very cheap and I called in to do the task. Well you wouldn't believe it. The filler cap would not unlock. 

This filler cap had been demonstrated to me at the tank maker and looked wonderful. I did have a test run before I left and unlocked the cap, put in 30 litres, and re locked the cap. 

However no matter what I did, I could not undo the lock. Phoning the tank maker wasn't possible as it was Sunday. 

After several cups of soothing tea, I came to the conclusion that I would have to turn around and return the 500km trip that night. 

To say I wasn't the happiest soul around was not an under statement. 

Next morning the tank engineer struggled with the cap and after much foul language got it loose. It obviously had a problem, and as I just wanted to get going, I took a replacement non locking cap, that really couldn't go wrong. 

They were very apologetic. 

So back on the road, this time via Melbourne in peak morning traffic. 

Much later that day, to cheer myself up I stopped at Ouyen on the way to Mildura, and bought the most famous treat that Ouyen was internationally known for.  The Best Vanilla Slice was awarded to Ouyen in a completion set up by Jeff Kennet back in the ninetys. It was delicious. I might have to stop on the way back. 

After a great sleep that night as I had had only a few hours sleep the previous night, I felt much better. 

I did fill up the tank with the aforementioned cheap diesel, and at last felt a bit happier. 

There were some interesting variations on fuel resellers , but I haven't come across too many portable service stations. 

Now for some serious driving to try and make up for lost time. Woomera was the planned destination, and I managed to get there by 5.00. 

I always like Woomera as a stopover, as I have fond memories of the place.  Last visit I spent quite some time looking at the old rockets and Len Beadell paraphernalia.  

Next morning on the road again, and the plan was get to the Northern Territory by nightfall, making three states in three days. I did make it , but the camp ground at Kulgera was only just over the border. 

The camp ground was a bit bare, but I found a shady spot under a tree at the edge of the property. I couldn't work out why all the other campers had ignored it. It might have been due to the hordes of ants that I finally noticed scurrying around at my feet after I had set up camp. None of them bit me, and I didn't find any in the van next morning. 

I am now writing this from Alice Springs. Kulgera never had mobile coverage, so I finally I am back in the big smoke. I paid Coles a visit, and bought some supplies for the trip. This is the last big town before I start the real adventure. 

Tomorrow will be an initial test, as I have traverse the Tanami Track. This is a very famous 1000 km track of danger filled moments, with road trains having right of way over all other vehicles. Google it for more info. 

The Tanami more or less ends at the infamous Wolfe Creek crater. I have been there before, and during the day it doesn't look that scary.