From Pannawonica

Hi Family and Friends,
Over the last week we have had the luxury of spending time with family as well as a trip into Karijini in beween.
This is the second time we have been to Karijini and the gorges are as spectacular as they were last time. Great gashes in the earth with a stream or pools on the floor of the gorge. Having more time this time we walked them all up to Grade 4 level. We climbed down seemingly impossible cliffs to the bed of the gorge and followed it along sometimes climbing around pools by clinging to the wall along the side. It amazed us both at how well we did. It was great to meet so many people, young and old, local or international all doing the walks. My favourite was Dales Gorge where we climbed down to the bottom of Fortescue Falls followed it downstream sometimes past quite deep pools, through what I called a fairy's garden because many people in one flat area had built stone artful stacks ( of course we couldn't pass without contibuting our creation) onto circular pool; water coming in through the rock walls with ferns growing around the edges surrounded by high cliff walls of rich reds and yellows. We returned by the steep climb out to walk along the cliff top to complete the round circuit. On the way out we met up with the group of young Americans that we had cheered on as they edged their way down to the bottom of Joffre Falls. Magic place.
We returned to Paraburdoo before going onto Onslow to visit with our nephew Cam, his wife Renee, their 2 boys, Royden and Crawford and Renee's dad Dennis. It was here that Rex was able to catch up with all the motorbike news as Dennis is a fellow biker. We spent a lovely couple of days being feed gourmet meals, (Renee is a great cook), being shown the town sites including the beach with amazing shells, old Onslow with its stone gaol still standing, and the Salt Mine where Cam works. Royden also showed me a honey bird bush; the flowers really look like birds and when you suck them they give a little nectar. Once again we struggle with which photo -the gorges, the salt mine, the bird bush or the green frog but we decided on Renee's dad leaving this morning on his bike to go to Darwin.
Love to all
Rex and Rob