We travel through some majestic and scenic country today. As the road cuts through the end of Napier Ranges, there is a section which has a profile of Queen Victoria’s head and it is named as such.
We drive through the King Leopold Ranges which provide stunning views of ranges, valleys and rock escarpments of many colours. The terrain provides for a leisurely pace, enabling us to enjoy the views. The road conditions are excellent, which Tony cannot get over.
At one stage we catch up with Tony and Jen…..Tony is out of the car and looking under the car and the van……he apparently had run over a long stick ( arm thickness) lying on a dry concrete floodway which he then realised was possibly a snake……no sign of the stick or snake under van/car or either side of the floodway.
We pull into the National Parks – Silent Grove campground, pay our fee and drive in to find a campsite. As I am putting chocks under the wheels, I notice that we have a mechanical problem with a pair of shockers……..they have been dragging on the ground….the upper bolt has gone and and one of the units the steel shaft has snapped. We are very fortunate, because another van has just pulled in opposite us and they say hello and ask how we are going. Terry and Janelle - Terry turns out to be a mechanic who works on and builds caravans. He comes over to check out our problem, and gets his tools and is under our van, removing the broken unit and reinstalling the good one with a bolt from Michael’s tool kit. Terry also identifies and fixes issues with two other rear units.
While all this was going on, Tony had his Satellite phone out and calls to the caravan manufacture’s warranty dept, followed by return calls from the company that makes the chassis and suspension …….highly surprised that a shocker would break and require photos when we get to Kununurra to determine course of action to repair issue. Both lots of advice was that it was OK to continue towing the van.
Michael is somewhat despondent …just another issue to deal with after a day on the dirt, which started out so well!!!!
Whilst Jen is having her afternoon nap, Michael and I are talking to the local ranger, about the snake we saw at Windjana Gorge. He tells us there is an olive
python curled up under a trailer near the machinery shed for the past day or two. He offers to show it to us, so I go and see if Tony wants to come to. The ranger removes the trailer to enable a good view and photos…..all curled up, but estimated length of 3 metres. 
Back to the van and get ready to drive the 10klm to Bell Gorge carpark. The 0.75klm walk in was difficult as for much of the time you are walking on loose rocks. Once there, the views of the waterfall were stunning, and we made our way to the pools on our level and found a spot to just sit and feel the flowing water give you a massage. It was very refreshing after the warm walk in to the gorge. Tony’s sharp eye-sight identifies a thin water lizard or goanna sunning itself on a rock in the water, some 7 metres away. 
We are the last to leave the Gorge and walk back to the carpark and then to the van for tea, which Michael cooked on the BBQ. Tony, Michael and I sit around outside in the dark, as it is cooler outside than in the van, going over day’s events and results.
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