Monsoonal electrical storms thrills

Broome was THE highlight of my australian personal quest.
And apart from a few people and places in New Zealand, there is nothing compared to Broome.
My heart wanted me to get there so bad, and by now I understood why.
You know this sort of places you get stuck in and you remember the day you die I suppose...
You've got to go there to understand, something you have to feel, although some people don't like it...
Indeed, there is not much to do there apart from simple things, it's just a spiritual place, and one that suited me very much!
Almost 3 months of working hard but beyond that, it's just the most laid back place in the world...throughout fishing in stunning areas, stargazing on cable beach, jamming the guitar, meeting awesome chaps, watching lightning shows, daydreaming with the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen...are just a tiny part of Broome time!

The day I got this photo, Mike and I got stuck 2 hours in front of it, one of the most beautiful photo I've ever taken!

The female possum that used to come along many nights, there munching a cookie!

I got to the point where she got onto my arm to pick up the cookie, so cute...

One of the biggest thunderstorm I've ever experienced...

I had about 8 of them in Broome and the most powerful were overnight as the humidity rate is higher in subtropical areas.

I was up for all of them!

That one was by 4 am after a mere hour sleep but when you shoot a picture like that it becomes worthwhile not sleeping at all and thrilling on your own on cable beach!

Don't be mistaken...this is still 4.30ish a.m though it looks like daylight.

When you shoot lightning you use a long exposure for your shuttle.

By this process, you collect all the light through the lens during the amount of time you pick, here 20sec.

That's why the photo is so bright!

Captivating, innit??

I got drenched and had to find shelter by the beach...but afterwhile, the waters started raising and had to rush back to the hostel which was 10min. away...the road turned into a mud river and I struggled to make my way through...so much fun though!!!

Freedom at hand...

Cyclone Isobel!!! Early January 2007

I finally experienced my first cyclone overseas.
Although Isobel was just a category one cyclone when it hit the coast, was close enough to cause decent wind gusts on cable beach...the rainfalls were torrential for a few days though.

All of a sudden, on the third day and waiting for the wind to quiet down, Andrea, Andy and I decided to grab some bodyboards and head to cable beach for a thrill.

It was a delectable feeling though I woudn't recommend it to anyone unless you're a very good swimmer...
Huge swell, very choppy though and gusts hammering sideways (still about 100km/h) made the trip particularly tedious!
Sort of like we couldn't really walk on the beach with the wind and when we got into the water we had to go in and out all the time as we drifted 200m away in 5 min with the strong current!

It was an amazing adventure though we were absolutely knockered afterwards!!!

Broome time 2nd part, November- December 2006

Almost 3 months spent at cable beach backpackers, cleaning up there every now and then in exchange of free accomodation which was a stunning shed adjacent to the hostel, wooden old fashionned full of character little nest twice as big as a common double bed room...
2 minutes walking from work (rendez- vous) and 5 from cable beach.

The cable beach backpackers bus...a legend!

Interesting photograph for if you enlarge it and look properly, you can see the constellation Orion rising behind the huge rain cloud...and it's still twilight!!

Luciana and Barbara, 2 brezilian girls who lingered in Cable beach for a little while...we spent Chrissy and New Year all tegether...

The pool down the road, at cable beach camping ground as we used to sneak in after my friend Dan gave me some tips ;-)

One of the most beautiful and especially relaxing pool I've ever been to...perfect temperature, setting, sunbeds and pure crystal salty water.

No comment...

What on earth is that??? I've got no clue, but I like it!

Cindy and Niels...a new couple is born!

One of the numerous crazy nights at the hostel (I wouldn't dare saying "one of the craziest" for there a way too many...it just all the freaking time), partying and chatting up till late in the night and all of a sudden, I just remembered I had the boardgame "Risk" in my room...as the clock confirms, we got the game started at 4.30am and played till...10!!!!

I had to work 13h that day and didn't get any sleep at all till I got back at night.

It's been one of the hottest day in Broome, 45 degrees with 70% humidity, a nightmare!

I must have drank 8 liters of water!

From left to right; Dan from England(with "Sting", Frodo's dagger), Daz from England (holding the backpackers clock), Paul from Australia (funny face) and Jo from Sweden.

Once again, fishing's been omnipresent in Broome...

Here by the jetty dreaming to reel a huge barramundi (with Dan).

Mike and I on the piss...

Mike bartending at the hostel and the other photo;

Jo, Edy (germany), Chris (Sweden) and Miky...

Edy and I in our little oasis...

Jo and Chris jamming.

I, with my secret weapon, pretty much every morning doing the cleaning but well...and was broome time anyway...and broome time is...laid back!

The pool

Paul (Australia) and Chris...funny one, eh?

A classic in front of the backpackers when can't be bothered walking.

check out the bus stop sign!

Edmond, my green tree frog.

Crocodile farming, November 2006

That possibly was the most amazing experience I've ever had.
Working with a di**head though, Malcom Douglas, the crocodile hunter who is decently famous in Australia.
He was boasting all the time...well, I'm not gonna dwell on that, we didn't have to get along with him anyway as we barely saw him while working.
A mere week working there for it was to carry the crocodiles up to 2m from some ponds to some smaller ponds separated by a few yards.
For this we were to drive some sort of wrecked cars which was absolutely hilarious.

Don't tell that to my mum, a german guy working with us got bitten badly at the calf and got out of the hospital with like 30 stitches in it...

The method was to shock the reptiles to carry them but as the effect lasted 30 to 45sec., we had to hold the jaw tight not to get bitten and they were struggling a lot.

It was facinating I reckon for it was the closest imaginable thing I could do to experiment myself towards the real aussie experience.