TANAMI TOUR MAY 2006

Twenty six people from cities and towns,
Arrived in Darwin minus their gowns.
To shed the cold running in their veins
With bush camps, crocodiles, bugs and road trains.

Our first stop was at Kakadu National Park,
Where we arrived about one hour before dark,
To put up tents, moon mats and beds
With nothing but sightseeing in our heads.

Doug was the first to move with hammer in hand
Pegs in, pole up, Don't it look grand?
But Oh shit! He mumbled, then let out a shout
I've got the bloody tent inside out.

Norlangie rock showed the indigenous pen
Of X-ray views of fish, women and men
With doodles so big that the men on the bus
Said what on earth has evolution done to us.

Next day to Edith Falls, binoculars in hand
Ged and Sheila went searching for birds in this land.
Ged spied a bird with a beautiful breast
Sheila unimpressed filled his nose with the nest.

At Katherine, the motel as a change for me
With fine wine, hot showers, warm bed and TV.
Then a tour highlight, the Katherine Gorge
A most spectacular place to enjoy. By George!

Kununurra was where Robyn looked poorly
With a night at the hospital which would surely
Get the bugs out and a battery recharge,
But not enough for a trip on the barge
Up the Ord at 55 k's
Frightened us a bit through the river's winding maze.

Morning tea, crocs, and a look at the dam,
Durack homestead, melons, lunch. What a jam.
Then back to the park for a night in the tent
Good news from Peter. Money well spent.

Off to El Questro for one night in huts
With all good things which opens and shuts
Emma Gorge frightened Joan because of Nev's age
"He mightn't make it" she said, as she held back a rage.

Betty came forward to race Nev on the track,
"I'll see that he's safe both up there and back”.
The falls were reached at a reasonable pace.
Oh! What a most magnificent place.

Manning was closed but the next one was right
Galvans gorge for all of us was a delight.
We could not envisage a prettier place,
But it needs two or three days to enjoy the space.

Windjana Gorge with wall to wall crocs
Is not the place for a walk in your socks.
These things have sharp teeth and are quick to react
To any disturbance. That's a fact.

Broome was a highlight adorned with bright pearls
With plenty of shopping for all of the girls.
Betty met Groovy Lips at the stairs to the moon
And since that time she was like a balloon.
Higher and higher she flew round the bus
Blasting the crap out of all of us.

Broome was a problem for John with a bed.
He knocked a great chunk from his leg and his head
Then next day he repeated the act. You bet ya!
He ripped his digit apart on the stretcher.

Betty the talented nurse from the Coast
Pulled out the First Aid kit with the most
Equipment for fixing these things
It's amazing what knowledge and a little TLC brings.

Fitzroy was great for hot water and showers
Then off to the Bungles and Bower Bird bowers
Ged spied a speckled head red feathered parrot
Which turned out to be Kate with a rather large carrot.

While Sheila by herself scored a world's first
With a wobbly husband quenching his thirst
A beer in one hand and a rum in the other
He claimed he had just been axed from Big Brother.

To fly the Bungles in a chopper
For Clyde we thought would be a stopper. He'd crashed his Gyro into a hill
Wrecked his back but not his will.
Chopper flying is not for kids
He wouldn't miss this day for quids.

Blue's boots were a mess after bogging the truck
They were covered in clay and other red muck.
Don't panic Blue, there's no need to rush
I'll fix them right now said Doug with a brush.
The boots were perfect, shining like new
They'll last out the trip now, Doug said to Blue.

Tom had a birthday last night at the camp
He took out the prize for wrecking a lamp
A tent, a bed and mattress with inconsumate ease
Then continued to muck up the meal if you please.
Two bottles of white and a bottle of red
Finished him off so we put him to bed.

At the Bungles we cleaned up and left before nine
To go to Halls Creek to inspect an old mine.
Then Peter the magician pulled out of his hat
A blue and gold kite or something like that

It runs on two wires joining it to the ground
Where Peter the magician could be found
Jumping, flying, leaping, up and then down
And after this he landed, but on the other side of town.

Halls Creek from the Bungles took most of the day
With the stop at old Halls and some rocks on the way.
The hotel welcomed us with steaming hot showers
We forgot about bush camps, gorges, and bowers.

The nineteenth of May was the day to head East
Past Wolfe Creek, burned out cars and the odd Brahman beast.
The red gravel road passes through such wide plains
Dry creeks, small trees, ant hills and bore drains
Which give life to this place so dry all year round
Water, water, water, a small ask from the ground.

John Jarrett wasn't at Wolfe Creek today
So it was safe to climb up the crater and say
Wow! A meteorite of some fifty thousand tons
Made a big hole on one of its runs.
A cuppa and in the bus once again
To traverse the corrugated Tanami Plain.

The road to Rabbit Flat was long and slow
And the camp ground, you wouldn't want to know
Had been cleared with a grader to remove the grass
And give the place a touch of class.

No cover, no water, just life with the stars
One could have been anywhere on Saturn or Mars.
Marilyn said with a tip of her hat
I really really don't like Rabbit Flat.

Tilmouth was our last tent construction
Then down the Tanami with no more destruction
From the corrugations on the gravel, on bitumen now we travel
To Alice for the last day of our trip.
No more early mornings with 7.30 warnings
The bus is ready. Let it rip!

Thank you El and Thank you Blue.
For a marvellous trip with both of you.
El you're a genius at tourism planning
It was the weather, not you, for not seeing Manning.

I think all would agree with me when I say
We'd like to meet up again some day,
To celebrate the Tanami tour in the bus.
Warmest love and thanks from all of us.