Touring Australia

Follow me as I blog my way around Australia.

The motorcycle leg of this journey started in Darwin. I had the bike trucked there and flew to meet it from Sydney. I rode solo through The Kimberley, The Pilbara, Shark Bay, Monkey Mia, Kalbarri, New Norcia, Perth, Fremantle, Margaret River, Esperance, The Nullarbor Plain and back to Sydney via the Adelaide Region and The Great Ocean Road.

As you might imagine the whole trip was an incredible experience .... I'm ready to do it again!

Another Website by...

Another Website by...
Online Business, Software, and Website Development

TwoWheelTouring Subscribe

Visitors to date

Visitors

Sunday, September 6, 2009
Sandfire must be a euphemism for red dust because that is all there is out here.

About 330 KM's out of Broome and still another 300 KM's to Port Hedland Sandfire can't really be considered a town... it's a Roadhouse with an extended population consisting of a Camel, a giant (I'm talkin GIANT) Ox and herd of 60 or so peacocks including 2 all white ones and a bunch of clucking chickens! ei ei oh.

There once was a Pub (err sorry they called it a Tavern) but it burned to the ground a couple of years back. So it was toasted sandwiches from the cashier at the servo (for overseas readers that Australian slang for Gas station) a gallon of water and 2 juices in a box.

Frankly, today I don't really care as basic as it was it was exactly what I needed to continue my trip... petrol, water, toasted sandwiches, and a deluxe room for the night...it was deluxe because it came with a can of Mosquito spray! Mate I spare no expense on these sojourns of mine.

The terrain from Broome to Sandfire (red dust) changes again from that thru The Kimberley to Broome. It's low long dark and flat. The sky is incredibly blue with a view that so big that you can see the curvature of the earth.

Leaving Sandfire the following morning I sighted 3 Kangaroos and 2 Brahman's! That's more Roos in one strip of road (not counting dead ones) than I had seen the whole trip thus far.

Then came Pardoo...

Well Pardoo had gas, a proper roadhouse complete with overpriced everything, and the best breakfast this side of whatever we are on this side of.

There must be something in the free coffee in Pardoo. Seems the motorbike was a bit more of an attraction at this place or perhaps I was just grumpy from breathing mosquito spray all night.
Now normally I don't mind but today a group of Hyundai 4WD drives pulling caravans pulled into the world famous Pardoo Roadhouse and for some reason about 6 of them gravitated to the bike and had a gather round looking and pointing.

Again normally I don't mind much but at that very moment I was enjoying my first hot and delicious meal in about 600 KM's. Now you may have noticed in some previous photo's of the bike that I've hung a video cam off the side so I can reach back and flick the switch when I come across a piece of scenery that is interesting.

A bit concerned for the cams safety I left my first hot and delicious meal in 600 KM and went outside to see what the commotion is about. One of these good ole Hyundai boys had a question for me.... he said 'what ya use the camera for?'.

I remember one of those flashes of impatience, anger, and incredulity before I answered with a simple... 'I record video's on it'

What else could I say. Well I said it... there was an agonizing millimoment or 2 then they all seemed satisfied and the little band of Hyundai cowboys kind of dispersed.

Onward to Port Hedland!

0 comments: