Broome bound

The Cape Range National Park was a good change of pace from Coral Bay, somehow managing to be more relaxing than ever. Snorkeling at Turquoise Bay, Louis found a sea turtle and we watched it swim around for bit avoiding jelly fish like in the underwater levels in Donkey Kong Country or Mario Bros. We stayed to watch the sunset and were the last people on the beach, the drive to our camp would have been lonely were it not for all the Wallabies and Kangaroos darting across the road back. We met up again with the usual suspects at our camp making for a good evening. Leaving the coast wasn't as difficult as it would have been were we not heading towards Kent's old stomping grounds, Tom Price, and the Karijini National Park. The benefit was twofold, free camping at my old work mate Dave's back yard, and the park which was sure to surprise us. After patching a slow leak in one of the tires (tyres), a last minute decision took us on a mine tour through Tom Price; Dave met us at the lookout where we were lucky enough to watch a blast from. That afternoon we took a dip in the Fern pool in the scenic Dale's Gorge. The next Day, the Circular Pool proved even more picturesque, something we would not have believed were we told it.

A few nights on the road later we are in Broome, after visiting the famed Marble Bar and Marble Bar's famed Ironclad Bar, as well as the 80 mile beach, ending the first leg of our trip. We dropped off our fellow travellers at their respective hostel and campground and now we will look for others to do the journey to Darwin with us. Broome, except for the amazing beaches and lack of nightlife, seems out of place in Australia. It is a tropical town with a gritty feel. If the weather ever clears up we'll get the chance to visit one of the southern hemisphere's most coveted beaches.

Historical note: the best beach here is called Cable Beach and is thus named because it is here that a telegraph cable lain along the ocean floor reached Australia from Eurasia, connecting it to the rest of the world. Also, Broome was developped largely for pearling from the end of the XIXth century.