We decide to wrap things up

We head to the Pinnacles near Cervantes.

Remarkable wildflowers heading east to Mullewa

Waiting for our expedition crew. And waiting.

Bored in Shark Bay

We watch the park rangers and their trained wildlife

Stromies and westernmost point of Australia

Around Canarvon. Wildflowers.

Nothing much

Security (from LJ): usemask

We hit another qantas this morning, just about 9:00. This one just magically appeared on the right side of the narrow, one lane sand track through the bush, then suddenly 'bang' we hit it. Then, just as magically, it was bounding along the left side of the car, keeping pace with us for a short bit before heading off into the bush, stopping, and staring back at us.

Literally, we drove over it.

We almost hit another one just ten minutes later. This time, it headed straight for the car across this low scrubby plain …

XXX

To Ningaloo Reef

A day around Exmouth

Security (from LJ): usemask

Updated my personal log for our trip from Broome to Marble Bar, Western Australia. It's at http://www.marmot.net/2002au/2002-08/log/default.htm?Log_2002-0819.htm

I must say while this was a pretty boring drive... and I was kind of feeling snotty when I wrote it... the four days since then have been anything but boring. The Pilbara region of Western Australia is much more interesting than the Kimberley... yet it's treated as a poor second cousin to the heavily promoted Kimberley. The Pilbara has much more dramatic mountains and gorges, with lots of …

To Exmouth

To Karijini National Park

XXX

To Marble Bar

Pearls and dinosaur prints

A down day in Broome

Security (from LJ): usemask

Often, we've been comparing our travels in Australia with other travels we've done. It's something everyone does—we weren't the ones to invent the analogy that "Sydney is just like San Francisco". But some people think that Chris and I do it just a bit too much, and are too harsh on Australia, not accepting it on its own terms, and always comparing it to the US.

Perhaps. But there are three factors at work here.

The first is simple: Australia is very different to anywhere else in the world. It's sparsely settled, often hot and …

Security (from LJ): usemask

I've come to realize that whenever Chris and I open our mouths, most Aussies mistake us for Canadians. At first, I thought they were just being polite, like the Kiwis, by asking "Are you Canadian?" But then (silly me) I realized they weren't being polite, they were being serious, and when we tell them we're from California, most seem relieved. "Ah, they say, you didn't sound like a Yank!"

I'm wondering what mischief we can get into with this... could we, pretending to be Canadians, ignite an argument over national cricket teams? Or maybe something like …

To the Horizontal Waterfalls and Cape Leveque

In Broome, WA

Getting out of the Kimberley. Enough.