And just like that, our time in WA was finished.
It was somewhat bittersweet, with an excitement to get back 'home' to the NT after all these years, but leaving a place that is without the most visually spectacular I've ever been.
People always rave on about how beautiful, how spectacular and how diverse WA is, and I tell you they are not wrong.
Think back to the dry interior of the Superpit at Kalgoorlie; around to white sands of Lucky Bay; through the Giant Tingles to cosmopolitan Freo; up to million colours entering the waters at Francois Peron NP near Denham; around to the amazing Ningaloo Reef and Coral Bay before meandering along the endless 80 Mile Beach and arriving in Broome; then being amazed by Lombadina and it's red dust vs. white sand battle; around to the unique domes of Purnululu; the ruggedness of El Questro; the plantations of Kununurra before finally being overawed by the expanse of Lake Argyle.
And whilst it's sheer size probably affords it to have a greater variation of landscape than any part of the state (or the world for that matter), it simply doesn't stop it being flat out gob-smacking.
I'm sure B and I could have turned the car and van around and spent the entire adventure in WA and not feel disappointed, short changed or wonder if we'd made the right decision. Travelling WA deserves far more than the few months we gave it. I suspect you could spend years, decades even, and still have more to explore and experience.
I can't wait to get back there one day.
But, the world keeps turning and our quest to seek out a taste of 'most' regions of Australia must continue. So we threw the watches forward, lost a heap of travel time and rolled into the Territory.
I'll probably throw a few "20 years since" references whilst we travel through the NT on this blog, as well, it's been 20 years since I left it for Uni. So bear with me on the repetition if you will...
So, over 20 years since I left Alice for Melbourne, I finally managed to find my feet back on NT soil. And whilst I'd never actually been on Victoria Highway between WA and Katherine, it did feel strangely familiar. Not sure why, or even how, but I suspect once you've done a stint in the NT, you always have an inherent affinity for it.
And before I get on to our extended stay in Darwin, I better take us all on a pictorial trip on getting there...
Crossing the border. Not sure exactly why the van looks like it's on some crazy angle as I don't recall any large ruts or dips. I suspect it was more the Big Green Lizard digging its heels in, not wanting to leave WA. It's understandable really.
Goodbye WA. You've been everything we'd hope for, and then, so so much more.
This was Sam's NT 'reading'. Much like the Nullabor, this was the moment we said goodbye to Sam and picked him up later that evening when we stopped to rest. He is his mother's son, and once he gets a good book he's lost to the world. Literally spoke hardly a word...
I thoroughly enjoyed the drive across from WA to Pine Creek. Such a varying and interesting landscape. It was another case of an entire region we were glimpsing but deciding to "leave for another day".
A lunchtime picnic spot. Was a little dusty, but visually spectacular.
After passing through Katherine (still think it's a bit of a dive) we headed northbound. A call came over the radio of a wide load incoming and we should "pull over mate". No problems from us.
The best thing, my utmost favourite thing of our trip, is not knowing exactly where we might stop on some nights. The randomness never ceases to appeal and really sticks it to my normally structured old self. And this was a great example. Wikicamps told us of "Pussycat Flats Campground" just outside of Pine Creek. A disused (from what we could see) racecourse that had turned itself into a cheap and accessible campground for vans.
We literally parked the van on the edge of the old front straight. Brilliant!
We decided after a long day in the car (a tick over 600km) to walk around the old racecourse. We found that like old Swan Hill, there was an extinct golf course in it's interior (RIP Swan Hill City GC). Was some very patchy lies.
We were definitely in 'Termite Territory' now!
Might be time for the water truck...
This finally answered my ponderings as to whether they still raced. I'm guessing no...
We grabbed a beer and the foulest tasting wine of the trip and sat down whilst the kids busted out the lego... Not sure where Sam was, but I know we had taken the book off him. It was for the car only!
Rolling out the next morning... Not sure we could park closer to the bar.
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