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Cyclone Lawrence cooling things down, reader feed back, itineraries and trip reports, and more.
December 16, 2009


17 December 2009, Issue #020


In this issue:
  • Cyclone Lawrence finally cooling things down
  • Reader feedback and trip reports
  • New guide book in the works


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Hello from scorching soggy Kununurra!

I had started writing this newsletter a week ago. Then life got in the way. In the meantime tropical cyclone Lawrence has passed along our coastline and after weeks of unbearable heat the temperatures have dropped from 44 to 24 degrees. Phew. It was about time we got some rain.

Lawrence first made a nuisance of himself in Darwin last weekend. He was "only" a low pressure system back then, dumping a month's worth of rain within 24 hours, flooding several suburbs, blowing trees over and downing power lines.

When the system moved out to the ocean and started heading towards the Kimberley it quickly turned into a rather impressive cyclone. A couple of days ago I could have linked you to the live images as I did last year. But since I am a bit late for that, here is a forum thread that I stumbled over that has some nice photos of it:

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=1951552#p1951552 (Just scroll down for a few photos)

First I thought we would not get any rain out of this either, but things turned around yesterday. In the evening Kununurra received 40mm in only an hour or so. It has been quiet over night, and I don't know how much rain we've had this morning. I couldn't check because it hasn't stopped bucketing yet!

It's good though. We needed it.



So what else has been happening here?

In the last newsletter I mentioned how unusually quiet it has been. It seems everyone felt compelled to make up for that. I received so many lovely emails from readers, I couldn't stop smiling for days. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I want to share my favourite of those emails. Hope you don't mind. It's very short:

"Bully's camp terrific.
Pumphouse restaurant Kununurra terrific.
Canoe trip down Ord with bush camps terrific.
Mambi island boatramp camp terrific.
Nearly expired doing Piccaninny walk late August due to heat.
Mornington Sanctuary terrific.
Your book is TERRIFIC!"


I just loved that one. Thanks so much, John :-).
And thank you to everybody else who wrote! I loved all your letters.

To know that I contribute to make your trip TERRIFIC, that is what motivates me to do what I do. I can't think of a more rewarding job. Not for me, anyway.

The last newsletter also sparked several reader submissions:

Jared and Phil obviously love Kununurra as much as I do:
Chasing the mighty barra
Kununurra - What a fantastic part of the world

David from the Trakmaster Off-Road Caravan Club kindly shares the itinerary he had put together for a trek the club did this year:
Katherine to Broome 15th July to 22nd August 2009

And here are two more trip reports, from Joe and Sharan, hopefully encouraging those who are still a bit nervous about heading out there!
Gibb River Road Adventure With Jayco Outback Swan
The Crocs 2009 - Gibb River Road



I have been a good girl lately, showing up at my desk every morning and chipping away at the new guide book until the afternoon. Geez, I forgot how much work is involved in such a project!!

It is nearly the same size as Destination Kimberley already... There sure is a lot to see and do between Kununurra and Darwin!

But things are slowly taking shape. And let me tell you, writing about all those magic places in the Territory makes me as impatient as you. I can't wait until the next season!

I know that many people who have already seen the Kimberley feel that the Territory just doesn't compare. (Theo's Aussie Trip is a classic example.)

Now, the Northern Territory certainly is different. It is a LOT more developed and there are a LOT more tourists. But you can get away from that.

In the Kimberley you can follow the beaten path, and it's still all awe-inspiring remote wilderness. In the NT you definitely have to get OFF the beaten path to find the same experiences.

But there are many places where that is surprisingly easy! Without any huge detours, and sometimes you don't even need a 4WD. (All that tourism development has some positive side effects.)

I can't turn the whole NT into a remote wilderness like the Kimberley, but I can make sure that you see the very best of it. And I am determined to do just that!

So if you plan to also travel between Kununurra and Darwin, watch your inbox during January.

Until then, enjoy the holidays, have a Merry Christmas and a great start into 2010!

More from the Kimberley soon,
B.

Feedback? Go to https://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/contact.html



(c) 2005-2009, Birgit Bradtke. All rights reserved. The Kimberley Guide is published by Birgit Bradtke in Kununurra, WA 6743, Australia. Reproduction of any material from this newsletter without written permission is prohibited.
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