Thursday 22^nd March, 2012

After getting up we heard again a few parrot chicks. Sandra also saw ibises and thus we went to look for the birds to take pictures. After we went to the Visitor Center of the Karijini National Park. There we informed us about the road situation. The gravel roads are open again since some quite a time. In this National Park you first see red rocks which are partially covered with green. In the Park we found a few yellow and violet flowers, but for the wild flowers we are too early. To sea the real beauty of the park we drove to the the Joffre Falls. We enjoyed the view to the falls from above and then started the hike downwards. On the half way I left my hiking sticks at a rock as we now had to climb. During the hike we saw from time to time lizards, red and blue dragonflies, a milliped, many birds, frogs and ants. A lizard and a bird made me stop as I thought it could be a snake. Down at the river bed we had to go a few meters through water reaching the thighs. Our pants got wet and Sandra had to care that her mobile phone did not start to swim. But here you could see the real hight of the falls. The way back made us transpire. Back at the camper we drove to Knox Lookout. Here we had an extreme wide view over the National Park and its deep gorges. At the Junction Pool and at Oxer Lookout we could maze over very deep gorges. Our last lookout for today was (Mount Bruce). Here we could see the two highest points of Western Australia. Then we drove to the Dales Camping to spend a night in the wild nature. We failed in starting the grill of camping and the grill of the camper. So we only had salad and cold chicken. But we could enjoy the sunset and stayed outside until it got dark.

Wednesday 21^st March, 2012

Already very early in the morning I got waken by the parrots. They started to make big noise shortly after 3am. In between I could sleep again, but it was not very recreative. At 5:45am the alarm rung as there is a long day awaiting us. We enjoyed a bit the morning atmosphere and started just before sunrise. Our first stop was a termite mound to which a sign pointed. Here we watched it from close. Then we continued driving and had to care that we did not hit any sheep as they were grazing at the side of the road. Our journey was accompanied also by emus and a few cows. We also made a few picture stops in the outback. I realized that Australia is not really flat as we were passing a wonderful hill landscape. The area got greener and greener and yellow and red shades made it very interesting. A cyclone had passed last week and there has been a lot of rain. The last 70 km to Tom Price are gravel road. After we passed the 50 km the sound of our vehicle changed immediately. We immediately found our problem: in the back the left tire was completely broken. We were looking for the spare tire and prepared for a long waiting as we did not have mobile phone reception. But very soon two friendly Australians passed and stopped. They helped us to change the tire and we were very thankful. They told us that they are checking the road for damage made by the cyclone. With the spare tire we drove to Tom Price and looked there for a mechanic. He explained that a new one will be 300 dollars. Or he could look if he has an used one. We called Apollo and they wanted a new one which we should have to pay. Sandra explained that we also did not have new tires on the camper. The answer as always: the car was checked for damage. We know this saying already too good. As the mechanic talked to Apollo, he demanded them to pay. Let's see how this resolves, but first we enjoy our vacation. During dinner preparation we talked to an Australian who told us that all gravel roads in the Karijini National Park are closed. The main road is tarred and can be used. We should go to the visitor center and inform us about the road situation. We will do that and hope to see something from the National Park. She told us also that the parrots are so noisy because they feed their chicks and this all around the clock. I just hope they do this not anymore beside our camper.

Wednesday 21^st March, 2012

I have a visitor: my brother-in-law Dominik is in Sydney. Before he had been working on a farm in New Zealand for two weeks and wants now to see a bit of Australia. He made a stop here in Sydney before going to the west coast to Petra. Today I took a day off and we went by car to the Blue Mountains. Our destination was Wentworth Falls. There you can see, well, the waterfall which named that village. It is above on a flat at 871 m, then there are cliffs dropping down and at the bottom is a wild and deserted valley. Along the cliffs there are three paths, one at the top, one in the middle and one at the bottom. We took the middle one and hiked from a small waterfall (Empress Falls) to the big one (Wentworth Falls). It is quite a dump story as water dripped sometimes down and we to pass behind or through small waterfalls. But when the drops fall like ten or twelve meters out then you suddenly realize how big the overhang is here. After we watched Wentworth Falls from different perspectives we hiked a bit more on the flat top. We were looking for a nice view for our pick-nick, but the bush was always in the way. We have nearly given up as we found a rock named Flat Rock which goes until the edge. There we enjoyed our lunch with a beautiful view over the Jamison Valley which is Eucalyptus covered and framed by red cliffs. On the way back we again passed the waterfall, then we took the path at the top of the cliffs which leads back to the starting point. As we did not want to return to Sydney on the same way we took the road with the strange name "Bells Line of Road". This road leads further through the mountains. Sometimes it goes up to 1100 m, but here the streets and villages are on the top and not in the valley. We stopped at the nice Blue Mountains Botanic Garden in Mount Tomah. But as it was already half past four we could not buy anything to drink anymore. The restaurant and the kiosk were already closed.

Tuesday 20^th March, 2012

Early in the morning we went with a bus to the harbour. First we boarded a glass boat were we could see the floor of the sea for just 3 minutes. Then we boarded the excursion boat. About 20 persons took part of the trip. Through big waves we went to the reef. Equipped with snorkel and flippers we went into the water. Immediately I got a bit panic and thought: “what I am doing here!” Every time while breathing in I got salt water into the mouth. I let me bring back to the tour boat by the safety boat. I explained the problem and I got first an explanation how to breath. As I told them that I think that the snorkel has a defect, I got a new one. After I did not have any problems anymore and I could maze at the beautiful corals and fishes. I am fascinated every time of the world below the water, I also completely loose the sense of time. After a small snack we continued. We were looking for the biggest fish of the world. This is the whale shark which can get up to 18 m long. They come to the Ningaloo Reef when the corals release their seeds in March and April. I felt a bit crumbly as these animals are gigantic. On my first jump into the water I just got a glimpse and the whale shark was gone. The second time I could watch the guy from the side. There were another two swims where I could see the animal very good. It was impressive to swim with them. We saw 5 whale sharks and the sixth one dived away as soon a we spotted him. After lunch we went to another beautiful snorkelling place. Here I could peacefully observe the fishes. This was a very impressive day for me.

Monday 19^th March, 2012

Shortly after we had to show the park pass there were any parrots sitting on the street. The flew away just to land again a few meters ahead in front of our camper. They made that game twice and then Sandra told me to go on. We wanted to drive until the end of the park for a short walk. On the way I saw a kangaroo sitting in the bush. As soon as we left the car it jumped away. We saw a few more on the mountain side. We enjoyed from far the jumping animals and continued. During the drive we also saw a few emus walking through the bush. After a few picture stops we arrived at Yardie Creek Gorge. There a river is crossing the park. We hiked for an hour around the river to get an impression of the landscape at the river. But we did not want to hike longer as it was already hot. We drove back to the Mandu Mandu Gorge. Here there is another 3 km hike, but we did not do it as it got warmer and warmer. So we drove to Turquoise Bay and walked along the turquoise water. Our last destination on the western side of the National Park was Mangrove Bay. Not even the hint of Sandra made me think that it could have something to do with mangrove trees. We had to go back to Exmouth to get to the southern side of the National Park. After another 20 km we took the way to the Shothole Canyon under wheels. The gravel road in the canyon goes up and up. For the last hundred meters we even needed the 4WD. On the way in and out we saw we saw many beautiful rocks shimmering in different colours. The Shothole Canyon amazed us with its diversity of colours. Back on the road we went to the Charles Knife Road. First a normal road, then a gravel road which leads up higher and higher. Up there was a beautiful view over the canyons, the sea and the endless width of Australia.