9th of June 2008

I’m so in love with outback Australia and I seriously feel sorry for all backpackers that just stick to the east coast. The landscape is so beautiful and the people the friendliest ever! It’s just a completely different Australia once you go inland, the real Australia!
Leaving the farm in the morning I didn’t have to wait long before Bruce, the next farmer down the road picked me up. He promised to drive me to the NP but first we
had to go to his farm because a truck unloading cattle was stuck in the creek. After that we got to talk some and to make a long story short it all ended with me leaving most my stuff at Bruce's house, me lending his backpack that fitted me better and also he lending me one of his Ute’s (pickups) to drive into the NP! So I drove in there and parked the car and then starting hiking into the Carnavron Gorge for about 10km, then set up my tent, and the next day I hiked back checking out all the sidetracks
Carnavron Gorge is in my opinion one of the most spectacular places in the world. While hiking you follow the carnavron creek bed snaking its way up the gorge surrounded by 100-200m high walls on both sides. And every now and then there are side gorges going in, getting tighter and tighter with the huge walls rising on both sides. There are also a couple of places full of aboriginal paintings and other unique things around.
Coming back to Bruce again in the evening we had a couple of beers with some people visiting and a nice dinner before heading to bed where I got my own room and bed and Bruce telling me that I could stay longer if I wanted.
So next morning after breakfast and making myself some lunch I borrowed the Ute again and headed into the NP for another day of hiking. And coming back from the hike I rode around some with Bruce on his land which has to be one of the most scenic farms in the country with the Carnavron Range walls going all around the land, almost. And in the evening Bruce kids came over and a couple of rangers for a big proper aussie bbq, my first!
It’s just unbelievable how friendly and sharing some people are in the bush, thanks Bruce! Had an awesome time thanks to you.
Hell, I even got offered a job in the NP. They are building a big 6 days, 5 nights track on the top of the ranges and need more people. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and an awesome job, hiking in this incredible land trying to find the best spots for the track and getting paid for it! But, it’s just a little too extreme to me. It’s a 12 months job just meeting this small group of people because it’s so far away from everything else. With over 100km to the closest town and over 250km to the closest supermarket you really know you live in the bush. But as my life is at the moment I just can’t stay in one place that long, so much yet to see and experience while I still can!



Edit: I'm really sorry about the amount of photos in this entry, but I loved Carnavron so much and there is so many photos I want to show (lots more then just these actually).
Funny thing btw, weighed myself and my backpack at Bruce's Farm. I have lost 7 kilograms since I last weighed myself in December. No idea where they all went though because I still look the same. And my backpack weighs a scary 35 kilos :S