2nd September 2008

We packed up our Karavan in somewhat humid conditions compared to previous departures from caravan parks. As it had rained on Monday afternoon, we had to leave our awning up overnight so that it would dry a bit more. Our departure was about 0830 as our plan was to travel only as far as the Mary Pool rest area to avoid staying in Halls Creek.
As we were going to be camping away from a powered site, we went into the Fitzroy Crossing Roadhouse to fill up our petrol container so the generator would not run out of fuel. While there, we had to purchase a few items such as milk. We had an automatically made cappuccino done by a machine. It was better than some we have had in the last few months. Some other travellers did the same and we chatted. They had a Kimberley Kamper and had been working at the Hoochery at Kununurra and the lady remembered us from our visit there.
Our plans were somewhat thrown into a little bit of confusion caused by an illness to one of our family members. After travelling to Mary Pool rest area, we had our lunch in the shade and in the Karavan. Our decision was to go to Halls Creek and get phone coverage and to check what was going on with the unwell one. As we found out, things were not too bad but we needed to check again in the morning.
We arrived in Halls Creek and refuelled everything in preparation for our intended trek along the Tanami Road. As we purchased our fuel and other items, the operator mentioned that the Tanami Road was very wet and that we should talk to the Tourist Information Centre as they would have the accurate information from the Shire.
We went to the Tourist Information Centre and the lady there told us the road was in a wet state. Her husband was required to go to an aboriginal community along the road and had told her it was almost untrafficable. He had had to help someone out of a bad situation.
The Tourist Officer said she would not recommend that we went that way especially as we would be towing something. The weather was also looking as though it would rain again in that area. As we know now, there was more rain and in fact 20 mm more during the night and more forecast rain. We were told this can have a big impact on the road. A lot different to the gravel roads on the east coast. Obviously, our decision was not to proceed to Alice Springs by the Tanami Road. We are not destined to go on this road for some reason.
Anyway, we then decided to leave Halls Creek as it has a bad reputation caused by the aborigines. It does not look very inviting with drunken people staggering on the road and approaching us asking for money. It is the least inviting town we have encountered.
So we proceeded to a lovely free camp site almost opposite the entrance gates to Mabel Downs which is the only entrance to the Bungle Bungle(Purnululu) National Park. There were about 8 other vehicles there. We made conversation with a few of them and especially several younger couples, one couple having 3 quite young children from the Sunshine Coast. The other couple were from the Netherlands and Germany.
We had a very quiet night with only several red wines and a BBQ dinner. The only noise we heard were several road trains. The sky was very clear with a wonderful view of the stars. We even saw a satellite pass overhead. This was the first on our trip.