“Welcome home”

Saturday 18

The sound of wild dogs howling woke Cath up. “Did you hear that babe?” She asked once I awoke. I didn’t hear a thing, I just slept straight through.

Back in Katherine we called into McDonalds, a favourite watering hole for us so Cath could refuel her need for caffeine. I jumped on the dog and bone and rang the mechanic who had asked to give us a call once were in town… No answer. I tried again, still no answer. We refuelled our supplies and as always, like a regular beat of the heart, we argued about space and where the fruit that cannot fit in the fridge will go. I tried him once again, still nothing. We filled up the trusty steed, tried again, still no answer. “Bollox to it babe we cant sit around here all day” I said.

On the road, I had gone through all the scenarios and possibilities of where the squeak could be coming from.

My new theory was that due to two maintenance holes on the back of the drum housing missing there rubber plugs, dirt must of entered in there. Once we had passed through the creek crossing a couple of times the water had washed the dirt out using the same hole. It was time for a trip to Toyota. With the new plugs in place I tried old mate once more. Still nothing. “Right that’s it babe, on to Lake Argyle”.

West bound, the drive became more and more beautiful as we neared the border. Boab trees frequented the landscape, most near the road had markings from what I can only class as twat’s carving into the thick bellies of the trunk ‘Ben was ‘ere 2015’. Such a beautiful tree. I have waited a lifetime to see them up close, such a majestic plant. The stories they must hold within their huge trunks before white man had arrived and brought his destructive nature with him.

Towering cliffs and ridges circled along the horizon. Purples, reds and orange in colour, iron ore country was looming nearer. A historic sea floor that had once lapped up against these rocks carved its presence, making a level cliff on every ridge. I wondered if the landscape had been in Europe, castles would have been built on the tops of these rocky fortresses. The mountains of rock all around standing mighty had seen a time 1.2 billion years before the dinosaurs ever walked this land. What they have witnessed only lost to wonder. I felt so alive in this spectacular land as we drove through it, lost in thought we didn’t talk much… the view really was enough.

A rocky hill formed from various different sized rocks ranging from gigantic to hand size etched its way up towards the sky. Its slopes dotted with mountainous boulders over hung and looked like they were ready to break off and roll down. All around the bottom of the hill was littered with ginormous rocks, these things were the size of streets let alone houses! I had never seen anything so spectacular before. Once again I imagined them breaking off, rolling down, creating huge deafening rumbles as they made their way toppling over from side to side. I found myself envisioning a pre historic time when this would of happened. I could literally see it in front of me. Who would of thought I would of got so worked up about bloody rocks?

The border into Western Australia has strict quarantine rules. No fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, honey etc are allowed in. We have been caught out before here on several occasions. Aware of there eager eyes when searching the vehicles we had to eat all that we had. A hearty vegie fry up was on the cards. Followed by a fruit salad, not chopped, just whole fruit was for dessert. Bellies full after lunch we drove along snacking on our remaining nuts. Lets just say with all that fibre, the next day made for a quick toilet stop.

Selfie time at the border was inevitable. Prepared for the search we made our way and parked up in Quarantine. Experienced in what was to come from the many a time before we had crossed the border, I jumped out and opened up the canopy, pulled out the fridge and the freezer and waited in anticipation. The guy with his clipboard had a quick look, nothing over the top just a quick peep. Not even reaching in as others had before. “What about frozen veg mate?” I asked.

“Frozen’s fine mate, I’m only interested in produce with the skins”. Sweet, we were out of trouble. We have had a nightmare situation where an old lady with a husky voice made us empty our entire load before after she dug to the bottom of our wicker basket and found some honey. Trinity, our boxer was not a fan of the old hag at the time either.

“Thanks guys have a safe trip. Welcome home!”

“Thanks guys have a safe trip. Welcome home!” as he read our Western Australia number plate. We were home, well I felt emotional as WA has become my home for the last eight years and we were finally back in it together. “It is home babe” I said to Cath. “WA will always be special to me. I think it will always feel like home”.

Cath agreed, it was special to the both of us, its where we met, bought a house together, started our lives together and even got Trinity.

The iron stone hills rose in every direction as we weaved the winding road through them. Sensational, the best road into any caravan park in the country! It was incredible, like a lord of the ring backdrop, almighty and breathtakingly beautiful.

With an hour and a half up our sleeve we made it to camp just before sunset. A big days drive, yet one of the most epic yet.

The Cooks.