It seems astonishing that it’s only a week since the last blog, as we’ve done so much. Talking to fellow campers at Home Valley it seemed that El Questro, a million wilderness hectares developed by an English lord, was a must. So we made a detour for a couple of days and headed 50 or so kilometers down the road from Home Valley. As the temperature was 36C, once there the coolest option was to hire a ‘tinny’, a metal boat powered by a silent electric motor, and explore one of the gorges (I first checked out that the boat was a fairly substantial size, as there were a couple of crocs resident in that part of the water). All went well until we got to the end of the gorge, when the engine died. So the return journey rather defeated the object of a cool pursuit on a hot day, and took us over an hour, me rowing with one oar (and no rowlocks) and Nick standing up and paddling/steering with the other. Blisters only just healing, but we got our money back.
The campsite was fine, one of those where we were camped fairly near other people. When we arrive at a campsite we feel very much the newby, as others stop what they’re doing to watch us set up camp. But we soon get chatting about places to see, road conditions, etc, and by the next evening we’re the old hands, watching other newbies take the place of our old mates of the day before. We’ve been amazed how many children there are travelling with parents, even though it’s term-time here. Some are going to be out of school for weeks at a time. Another thing that surprises us is how early people seem to go to bed – 8pm and there often isn’t a light to be seen, just the sound of tents being zippered. I’m tempted to call out “Night Ma, night Pa”, and hope that someone will reply “’Night, John Boy”. Nick and I try to stay up past 9 pm, which we consider is the watershed for ‘grown-up bedtime’ (N has got very good at Scrabble, and I must try to up my game). Of course there is the other side of the coin to the early to bed syndrome. I’ve been up at 5.30 am (it’s true, it’s pretty hot now) but there are always others about, including one who has packed up and is driving off at this unbelievably early hour.
Next day at El Questro was spent exploring the gorges. El Questro Gorge itself involved some pretty hearty scrambling over boulders, before we came across our first water hazard. To get to the next section involved a wade/swim, then advanced rock-climbing techniques (ie Nick showing me what to do, and I think I managed pretty well until the final bit when he resorted to heaving me up the rockface). Every Memsahib travels with her bearer, so while this one perched on top of a boulder waiting to continue the trek, Nick waded back and forth ferrying the rucksacks on his head (viz. photos). We also explored the place by car, and the 4WD driving in the aptly named Explosion Gorge really put the Prado through its paces – Nick, who’d got out of the car to guide me in the approved manner taught on our course, said one of the front wheels was completely off the ground (not the approved manner taught in the course).
On the way out next day we stopped off at the famed hot springs – Zebedee Hot Springs (someone was obviously a Magic Roundabout fan). We got there before 8am and had the place to ourselves, like a mossy warm bath with a cascade running through it, just heaven. As we left hordes were arriving, and I was so glad not to have to share such a small and intimate space with Mr Hoi and Mrs Poloi. Then it was off to the famous Bungle Bungles, which turned out to be a whole new story.
The campsite was fine, one of those where we were camped fairly near other people. When we arrive at a campsite we feel very much the newby, as others stop what they’re doing to watch us set up camp. But we soon get chatting about places to see, road conditions, etc, and by the next evening we’re the old hands, watching other newbies take the place of our old mates of the day before. We’ve been amazed how many children there are travelling with parents, even though it’s term-time here. Some are going to be out of school for weeks at a time. Another thing that surprises us is how early people seem to go to bed – 8pm and there often isn’t a light to be seen, just the sound of tents being zippered. I’m tempted to call out “Night Ma, night Pa”, and hope that someone will reply “’Night, John Boy”. Nick and I try to stay up past 9 pm, which we consider is the watershed for ‘grown-up bedtime’ (N has got very good at Scrabble, and I must try to up my game). Of course there is the other side of the coin to the early to bed syndrome. I’ve been up at 5.30 am (it’s true, it’s pretty hot now) but there are always others about, including one who has packed up and is driving off at this unbelievably early hour.
Next day at El Questro was spent exploring the gorges. El Questro Gorge itself involved some pretty hearty scrambling over boulders, before we came across our first water hazard. To get to the next section involved a wade/swim, then advanced rock-climbing techniques (ie Nick showing me what to do, and I think I managed pretty well until the final bit when he resorted to heaving me up the rockface). Every Memsahib travels with her bearer, so while this one perched on top of a boulder waiting to continue the trek, Nick waded back and forth ferrying the rucksacks on his head (viz. photos). We also explored the place by car, and the 4WD driving in the aptly named Explosion Gorge really put the Prado through its paces – Nick, who’d got out of the car to guide me in the approved manner taught on our course, said one of the front wheels was completely off the ground (not the approved manner taught in the course).
On the way out next day we stopped off at the famed hot springs – Zebedee Hot Springs (someone was obviously a Magic Roundabout fan). We got there before 8am and had the place to ourselves, like a mossy warm bath with a cascade running through it, just heaven. As we left hordes were arriving, and I was so glad not to have to share such a small and intimate space with Mr Hoi and Mrs Poloi. Then it was off to the famous Bungle Bungles, which turned out to be a whole new story.
Pics: Branco's Lookout to El Questro Homestead, Chamberlain River
From Our Own Correspondent: Blogging from safari tent, Home Valley
Rock Climb, El Questro Gorge
Bearer with luggage
Zebedee Springs
1 comment:
First real sighting of a 'Mem Moment' in this blog. I approve.
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