25000 Clicks Around: Week 16 Update: Missing in Action for Week 15

Sorry for the tardiness everyone, we have been in a no phone reception area for the last few days with ups and downs. We are currently in Pt Hedland with a very sick car... I think it's the fuel filter.

Km Traveled since last update: 3000km
Km traveled since the start: 17349km

Kalbari National Park: situated north of Geraldton, this little town is on the beach but also offers some amazing semi-desert type gorges just 20 min drive out. This place blew us away with its views and amazing snorkeling at blue pools. These pools are naturally protected by a shelf and are home to many little fish!

Francois Peron National Park: further north from Kalbari is Denham and Monkey Mia. It is the west most point on the continent and is famous for its dolphins. Instead of visiting dolphins for an exuberant price we opted for the cheaper option - that is to do some 4WDing in the National Park. The info centre said that my car was fine so we entered the park and lowered our tyre pressure at the air station.
40km in, we hit some deep soft sand, no problem we'll just keep the power up and power out and get to the beach. Once we hit the sandy car park of the beach we were bogged.... It was three times before I lowered the pressure to 15!! As low as you can safely go they say. We just got out, but instead of deciding to head home we head further north to Gregory's Point where there is a secluded beach with no one else but yourself and some more snorkeling.
On the way home, we visit the free hot springs to wind down. An amazing park but don't believe the signs and the local advice. It could've easily been the expensive option for a call out for someone to pull us out of the sand.

Cape Range/Ningaloo and Exmouth: north of Carnarvon, Exmouth is the town with the opportunity to dive or swim with whale sharks. We didn't do that either cause it will cost over $300 so we opted to go snorkeling instead. The reef life was truly amazing and you can experience those movie moments were you are in the surrounded by a school of little blue fish swimming pass or gaze at parrot fish of different colours chomping away at coral. Or swim with sting rays at the nude beach... Big thumbs up for Exmouth.

Karijini: east of Exmouth and heading inland, we visit Karijini NP. There is a big reputation for this park as one of the best places to visit gorges. It's also surrounded by mining projects. In this park, you get the opportunity to walk down steep red cliffs and into the gorges where you'll find beautiful swimming holes. Some highlights include Fern Pool which has lovely warm water and a waterfall to swim under; Joffre Gorge with its easy access to the bottom; Knox Gorge with its steep and narrow passes; Kermit's Pool were you need to wade through waist deep water and slide between narrow passes to access a deep and turquoise coloured pool; and Handrail Pool where you get rewarded with a deep pool after navigating some slippery and treacherous gaps to access an amazing series of pools.
It is a big call, but Karijini NP has been the top experience so far.

But the good needs to be balanced with the bad. And then.... the engine light comes on as we are 50km out of Karijini. With no reception on our phones and at least 200km to Port Hedland we are feeling very anxious and worried. To compound our woes, businesses are closed on Sundays in WA and Saturdays is pretty much a write off for productivity. We finally nurse the car to Port Hedland and after a few thoughts we think it is our fuel filter that needs changing... not so much a crisis as first thought but things are expensive in Pt Hedland and mechanics are hard to find.

Here is a brief rundown of Port Hedland: it is a port city exporting the mineral resources of Aus overseas; a train with empty containers has not stopped moving all day today and there at least 22 barges on
the horizon lining up to be loaded; there is very skewed population of males; housing is reported by the smh.com.au as rubbing shoulders with prices in Bondi and Toorak; rentals are at least $1000 per week for a tin shack but most advertisements are in the range of $2500; locals report a huge number of workers sleeping in cars and living in houses of 10 or more people; you can expect to pay $600,000 for something made from tin....

Finally, a big shout out to Judi Byrnem, our newest follower, from Krystal. We miss you and everyone in the Hill.