El Questro

In case I decide to sell my car, this is just
a pcicture of the car superimposed on
'a picture of the road sign for the GRR.

We took a side trip from Kununara to El Questro "Wilderness Park" over the last two days.  For those who do not know, El Questro is a privately owned cattle station that has been turned into a somewhat unlikely, yet fabulously successful, tourist resort.  Its on the Gibb River Road (GRR) which is something of an icon for four wheel drive enthusiasts - although I am not really sure why.  It may be different early in the dry season but there is no great challenge for getting down the GRR except being able to withstand the vibrations from the badly corrugated road (although read on becuase we did discover one little challenge).

There are various options for staying at El Questo:

- camping - but you have to be prepared to camp without power or water and be prepared to stay in a tent or have a caravan that could withstand the GRR;
- stay in an "eco tent" at Emma Gorge - again, no power and no air conditioning
- stay in one of their "cabins" - effecitvely a motel room with air conditioning - and which had 40% off;
- stay at the Homestead which is for very exclusive (not even on any maps), will not accept kids under 12 and costs about $1600 a night.

Guess which one we went for?

Fat bloke sucking in his gut
while washing his t-shirt at
Emma Gorge and possibly
polluting it for eons to come
given how sweaty he was.

On Sunday we travelled in and went to Emma Gorge.  You will not believe this but Emma Gorge is lot like Jim Jim Falls.  Hence, you can just read the blog about Jim Jim to get a sense of what this was like.  In short, dad and mum carried Isaac most of the way, Yvette was on dad's back and Anouk walked the whole way by herself.  Again, we should not have done it but we did.

We got into El Questro that afternoon and were impressed by their $8 VB cans.  The room was basic but comfortable.  I cannot say that we had an unbelievable El Questro "experience" but perhaps we did not stay long enough.  Anyway, they were fighting pretty serious bushfires and, in fact, the GRR was closed west of El Questro because of them.  The fire fighters were having a beer while we were there and dad asked why they were bothering to fight the fire.  The response was, "To ensure it does not get to a place we were rather it did not get to but enjoy your holiday anyway."  Yeah, cheers, thanks.

Two very hot chicks at Emma Gorge.

The following morning (after not being evacuated) we caught a glimpse of the Homestead and then went to Zeebedee Springs - which we had heard was amazing.  If would be amazing if you had not been to about 20 hot water springs in the last few weeks.  If you have, then there are some that are better - Mataranka and even Katherine.  You cannot swim in these are there is not enough room - you just sit wondering if the person next to you has just done a wee because its warm and that's what it feels like.

Picture of dad swearing.

Anyway, we left and for the first time this trip Nana and Pa were in front.  Then Mum thought she lost her phone (she hadn't) so we pulled over and then when we started again we had a flat tire - on the GRR. And not just a little bit flat.  So we had to change it.  In 39 degrees.  Oh yes, had I mentioned that the heat has returned?  With a vengence. Nana and Pa even bought an evaporate cooler for their van.  Its useless.  But back to the flat tire.  Notwithstanding his noted bushie experience, its been about 20 years since dad changed a tire and since mum had more recent experience (she watched the RACV man do it only a few weeks ago) dad let mum do most of the heavy lifting.  Unfortunately, dad was involved in the issue of where the jack should be located and he selected under the running board.  Which meant that the running board was wrecked but the car did not lift.  Anyway, it was eventually all fixed after much sweating and swearing.  This has been a very educational trip for the kids.

Picture of tyre worth $400
in Kununara if only it did not
have that flat bit on it.

Back in town, a very dodgy tire repair shop said they would sell dad a replacement tire for $400 new (which they did not have anyway) or $40 cash for a second hand one.  I am pretty sure that he was prepared to sell the second hand one because its completely unroadworthy but what can you do?  Anyway, if anything should happen to us while travelling on that tyre, it was purchased from Tyre Power in Kununara.

Anyway. tomorrow we leave Kununara and the mosquitos for Hall's Creek which I expect will give Wyndham a run for its money.  No plans for leaving the caravan park.