The Bibbulbums
Cliff and Sharron Burns
23 January 2012
‘Veni, vidi, vici’ – so said Caesar after his short confrontation at Zela, Turkey, back in 47 BC.
In a more up-to-date version of the ancient famous sentence we can now say, “The Bibbulbums went, saw and conquered”.
It was an extraordinary fifty-eight day adventure – far too difficult to explain in words.
Was it hard? – Oh, yes.
Was it worth it? – Every!….single!….day!
We were very well prepared, which meant we encountered virtually no unwanted hurdles to conquer. We completed the journey a little lighter but very fit and well indeed, and of course very happy and contented.
The shared stories and ideas with like-minded backpackers, the breath-taking scenery, the wonderful shelters and Track, the incredible flora which blew us away, the wildlife including 13 snakes and a legless lizard, the belly laughs, the food (especially our home-made dehydrated meals), the damper – bush cakes heavily laced with strawberries and cinnamon that we made for many along the way, the aches and pains, a couple of blisters, a couple of snorers, the thrill-seeking ‘surfer-snake’ that flew past us out of control on the massive Mt Chance granite rock, the bloody flies and ticks, the hills – oh, those hills – the valleys, the small town hospitality, the refreshingly cold skinny-dip in the Southern Ocean – everything really, all so very memorable.
We went mad with the camera, taking well over 1,000 photos, which we will cull to a representative sane number. One of our great personal loves is the flora in the SW of WA. At times we thought we were in flora heaven. Probably 30% of the photos are of the local flora including some extraordinary orchids we have not seen previously.
During the afternoons we wrote copious notes in the shelter journals under our Track name of The Bibbulbums, and just as many words in our diary. We tried to keep it light-hearted, funny at times, flora information, a couple of odd sagas along the way and of course describing which delight was on the dinner menu.
We received many kind words from backpackers who came from behind us only to leave us coughing and spluttering in their dust (many of whose excellent company we shared over a pub meal or/and at the shelters).
Our thanks to all the volunteers, and our congratulations and admiration go to the Foundation for the extraordinary Track of which all Western Australians can be justifiably proud.
