Monday 8th June - Kununurra

G'Day Everyone.

Here I am 1152 Klicks (720 Miles) further on into my Trek.

I am now in Kununurra the heart of the Kimberley Region in the North West part of Australia, this is Diamond Country and an extremely scenic part of the world, with many Gorges, Lakes, Meteor Craters, and Sunsets that move the Soul.

This region is the home of the Miriuwung Gagerrong Tribe, numbering about 2,600 souls many of whom are very industrious, they own and run the Tourist Attractions. Although they are very expensive, a round trip, staying overnight with Breakfast by Plane to e.g: Horizontal Falls, will set you back A$700 (350 Quid) and there are many trips like that.

There is an overwhelming feeling amongst the many people whom I have met and talked with, that prices are now too over-the-top and the concensus is that many will not be returning to Western Australia.

Warts and All: I Made this statement at the very start of my Blog; Well sorry Folks here are the warts! Having got NCS fully serviced when I bought her, I have found that a full service was not carried out and New Plugs and Points which were charged for, were not done, Then when She started to stutter et al, at Broome I got an Auto-Electrical Company to check her out, they assured me that having charged $A100 for the call-out, then $6 for the relay switch, I needed 2 new batteries, which all in all cost me $A400, That I thought would be that, well I was wrong!

I set off for Kununurra, via Derby (Pronouced Durby) and 400 klicks into the trek, she stuttered again and faded and I was forced to pull into a Rest-Area, where any and all fellow travellers who saw a bonnet open, volunteered assistance and advice. I then, because there are no Phone Service coverage, Vodafone (Zilch!) Telstra (Zilch!) even the Safari Buses do not carry Satelite Phones, I found myself well and truly stuffed.

Then full of idea's I started to write my RAC details, location etc. etc out many times and handed these out to people who were travelling North/South/East & West, some kind people thought they would contact the Police (if they saw them) and believe me I had great hope, 60 hours later with no sign of anyone , food supplies dwindling, water stocks dwindling, I thought "What do I do next?"

Then, (this is a true story Folks) a large bus arrived, towing another Van behind it, I noticed it just as another traveller, then behold the largest, bluffest, tallest Fellow (He wore a 10 gallon Australian Akubra) approached me, introduced himself as Max and informed me that he had met someone who told him my plight, and if he was going this way, could he tell me that they had tried to get assistance.

Max started by asking me if I wanted the "Good News? or Bad News?" I said the Bad news 1st, he then related that the local garage 100 klicks away, would only come to my rescue if I gave them $A400 cash in their hand, my answer was to tell them to Piss-Off! then the "Good News!" Max was a Pentecostal Minister (Looking after 6 Fijian Children in the Bus) and has worked with the Aboriginal Community for 27 Years, secondly, he was a Country Mechanic and he would fix things for me.

He did Folks, he took of the Distributor Cap fiddled with the points, told me they had not been changed in umpteen years and NCS roared into Life and ran for the next 752 Klicks like a song-bird, that without a doubt was "Divine Intervention", I am now firm believer!

Should mention that the RAC refused to come out to rescue me, I have gave them a right bollocking.

I have had new points & Plugs fitted, again confirmed that the ones already were old and battered, here in Kununurra (I stood over them as they fitted them) now I think that the small problems are behind me, all part of the learning curve.

Funnies: Thought to tell you that my registration number back in the UK was 551, NCS is 553, is that not a co-incidence?

Sign in Shop " Stealing is illegal, the Government does not like Competitors!"

Learnt how to have a "Washing Machine" on the move, you have a large bucket with a sealable lid, put in your "Omo Liquid" fill with hot water, place washing in, and whilst you are on the move, it is shaken all about and washes your clothes, is that not brilliant? all you have to do is rinse them out at the other end.

Went Sunday morning shopping, decided to have 2 rounds of toast and coffee, observed whilst waiting that there was a very old Aboriginal Lady, who was having the Full Monty, as well as a tray of Tea, she ate it all very daintily and rubbed her hands with glee when she finished, That was beautiful I thought!

Wild Life: Lots of Crocodiles now, they are everywhere, in the creeks and rivers, but as they are Freshies (Salties are Sea Crocodiles) they are harmless, but!!, Gulars (Red breasted Cockatoo's) Snakes (Poisonous) and believe or not many many Wild Horses.

Interesting people: Met with a crowd of Swiss people out of Zurich, they had actually sent their 2 fully loaded vehicles by ship, flown in, picked up their 4X4's and had been travelling through the outback (real outback for 12 months) boy! what a trek!

Thought you would like to know whatever happened to "Lord McAlpine" that noted stalwart of the Tory Party (Treasurer) during Margaret Thatchers day, who departed for Australia to set-up a Zoo, he now own's the major part of Broome and Cable Beach and is making oodles of cash! (Read "Once a jolly Bag-Man!")

Rain: It has rained on only 4 days since I came out here, they call them showers and indeed they come and go very quickly, but boy! are they Big Showers!

SightSavers: Now have 3 presentations pencilled in, they are proving for me to be a point of focus, 2 Lions Clubs (Kununurra and Katherine) and 1 Rotary (Kununurra).

NCS's New Clothes: Sorry but I have given NCS a new dress, a little black number, (Painted out the "Adventure before Dementia" on the front wheel cover) and am about to replace it with "The Nutcracker Sweet" when I can find a Graphic Artist to do it for me, methinks this will encourage her to behave from here on in. (Bribery!)

Reflections: This great Country is making History on the hoof! it is happening every day, in the absence of Castles, 2,000 years of any settled (White) human History, there is a great reliance on the Geography/Topography of the Land to make up for any short-falls, the Gorges, Rivers, Forest's & Vast Open Plains, and what Time, Water & Wind has done in the form of erosion to the landscape is making up by offering to the visitor a wide and varying choice of Mother Nature at her very best.

I now route myself to Darwin, that will complete the circle of my having visited or worked in all the Major Cities, Darwin (Named after Charles Darwin) should be really interesting, see next bulleting for details:-

That is all this week Cobbers!

Nigel JG