We Gotta Get Out of This Place - The Animals

Don't know why, but I like the sound of the name Dampier (although Dampney-er would sound a whole lot better, what says Hugh Janet?) but was in for a serious shock on arrival.

From thousands of miles of wilderness, some strewn with these large Termite mounds,

plateaued mountain ranges

and untold miles of open road,

this was the start of all that could be looked forward to here!

Road Trains can come in varying shapes, sizes and lengths, this is a 'medium one, and as I may have mentioned before one was encountered with 96 wheels - a monster.

However, the point is we have now reached Mining Country which, should the politicians manage it correctly (unlike our own circa North Sea Oil), Australia could become the richest nation on the planet in the none too distant future. If it's lying beneath the earths surface, then it's most likely here with

GOLD, now fetching over $1,000 an ounce, being in world terms 'plentiful' here, right down to

IRON ORE (the loading depot and

rolling-stock {thousands of waggons} just south of the city) along with

a port full of freighters.

BEIKTAS is Kazakhstan,

but most prominent at the yardarms of another 30 or so vessels anchored in the 'roads' is the red and 5 gold stars of the Chinese ensign. It would be safe to say that any nation trading with China (India, Brazil et al) on this scale is in for a massive killing! As an aside, the Australian Government, among much controversy as being far to close to existing Marine Nature Reserves, have recently released 'drilling acreage' off the coast here which is calculated to produce Liquid Petroleum Gas for the next 185 years!!!!

The furthest north I had ever planned to go was Port Hedland, just 200 'clicks' up the road, which is what I did but

it was bumper to bumper with vehicles like these all the way

so it was refreshing to reach open countryside once again with a little less traffic. It felt as though I'd had a brief visit to Hell's Kitchen, and while interesting it was good to get out!

 Having forgotten to publish this photograph on the was north, it has come in handy as for the second time in a few days we once again crossed the Tropic of Capricorn. One thing that was being looked forward to here was a visit to the world renowned Roadhouse of the same name. Seemed like the rest of the world had the same idea that day, with wall to wall lorries not even enough space to park a small car - ever onward.

I made it to the very attractive little town of Newman well before nightfall, some 390Km , but with just one motel at extortionate prices (miner's rates) it was another lay-by, well out of town, no man-made light and a

"Starry, Starry Night" as Don McLean said in Vincent (those clouds quickly disappeared). Talking of which, this is my second favourite painting in the world.

Peach Blossom in the Crau

Van Gogh