Tuesday 13 October 2009

Still in Bourke; continued;

Well, we got to know it, not much but a little bit, as we were delayed for two days due to a bad dust storm. The people of Bourke said they have not seen such a bad one since 1960.


We flew out, but after an hour a message came through that we would not be able to land at Leigh Creek where we were heading. When we returned to the airport the storm was approaching and it was very windy and cold.

The air got very dusty and pinkish.

Flying out it got dimmer...

and dimmer; it was very rough, windy and rainy and the Commander had a hard time and we too! We plunged and shook, but our experienced pilot brought as back safely.

There was nothing around than pink dust, no view any more to anywhere. The storm was bad up there and when the message came that we could not land we had to turn back to Bourke. For us it is not not any more "The Back O'Bourke" it is now "Back TO Bourke"!


The landscape from above is breathtaking all the different patterns...

a leaping frog...

or the never ending desert and the Darling


The Commander was very dirty after the storm and all hands were needed to clean it up.

Pretty details;
Pink and lace are the pretty homes;

People have a sense of humour;

The main shopping area;


The tiny native straw flowers in full bloom everywhere around the airport;


The beautiful pink flowering Eucalyptus trees were in flower along the streets in Bourke.
The next day was still very windy so we decided to stay one more night in Bourke.

20 comments:

Stuart said...

Gorgeous pics Titania. We're planning to visit Bourke later next year on our Australian-wide trip so you've given us some ideas to seek out. Shame about the dust storm.

sweetbay said...

It must have been scary to have been flying during a dust storm! Spectacular views from the plane, truly amazing. I didn't realize that Eucalyptus trees had such showy pink flowers.

Gail - Fort Rock Glimpses said...

Sounds like a VERY exciting time. I am so glad you landed safely. What beautiful country. It may be remote, but it looks extremely interesting.

Stephanie said...

Inspite of the storm, it does look like a very nice place to getaway. I hope the additional one day stay was a pleasant one as well. Oh, the ground look so different when seen from above... nice aerial pictures.

Noelle Johnson said...

I am glad you made it back to Bourke. Dust storms can be nerve-wracking. We get them here in the summer and they can be powerful.

lotusleaf said...

It looks like a nice place for a holiday. The aerial view is stunning!

James David said...

That leaping frog and the car sticker is truly unique.
Thanks for sharing.

diane b said...

That must have been scary flying in the dust storm. We're having another one today.great photos from the plane.

A Cuban In London said...

Lovely pics. Many thanks for sharing.

Greetings from London.

HappyMouffetard said...

Beautiful photos, but very scary!

Alice said...

Great photos, Titania, but I don't envy you that plane trip at all. Bet you were glad to get your feet on the ground - even if it was deep in dust.

a d´almeida nunes said...

Hi Titania

Bourke

What a beautifull place and land!

Yes! The beauty of pink flowers Eucalyptus!

We have one, but with red flowers, in my city. Spectacular. Another one, into a play place of a school, was cuted. I did very sad.

I beleive that your flying during a dust storm was excitant.

Good luck!
from Porugal - Leiria
António

Laura in Paris said...

Oh, I don't know Australia .. I have only been to Perth! Love the picture of the houses.

Babara said...

Liebe Trudi, da muss es euch ja recht durchgeschüttelt haben auf diesem Flug.In einem kleinen Flugzeug bekommt man derartige Stürme ja noch viel mehr mit ;-). Eindrücklich die Bilder aus der Vogelschau, wunderschön die "Muster", die ein solcher Blick gewährt. Du warst sicher auch froh, als du wieder Boden unter den Füssen hattest, nicht wahr?
Sei lieb gegrüsst,
Barbara

Unknown said...

Flying through the dust storm must've been a unique experience! The houses are so pretty.Loved the details and the sense of humour:-)

Pia K said...

the up in the air storm approaching sounds quite scary, glad you managed to return before it broke out completely!

love that pretty wooden balcony detail, perfect example of life's in the details.

MedaM said...

Wonderful post as well as the previous one! What an experience flying during a dust storm. It must have been very scary! Your photos taken from the plain are breathtaking.

easygardener said...

A hard place to leave. An exciting experience. I think I would prefer to experience the storm at ground level!

Kerri said...

Titania, what a scary ride that dust storm must've given you. I'm so glad your pilot was able to get you safely down to the ground.
Those arial views are spectacular. The soil truly is a reddish brown!
The detail on the old buildings is remarkable!
You certainly had quite a trip!

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...

Thank you for your interest and comments. It was certainly an experience flying through the dust. Generally our pilot took as higher to have a smooth flight but still could see the landscape. It is really an incredible experience to see the vastness of the country, you would not like to be lost down there!