Description of the drive from Broome to Perth

Road from Broome to Exmouth (852 miles the way the crow flies but it took us 922 miles):

We drove for 2 days (stopped one night in Karratha after 517 miles and then another 405 miles so stopping added some mileage), 8 hours one day, 6 the next. We saw NOTHING. One house in those two days, and it appeared more to be a farmhouse. We saw more dead cows (4) than people (0). And not that many cars at all. What we did see a lot of (like 10,000, I kid you not) was termite hills. The landscape was barren. No real bushes even, and certainly no trees. And not a sliver of water. Temperatures were regularly in excess of 100 degrees F. We made sure to stop anytime we saw a gas station (we saw one each day) so as to not run out of gas on the road.

We did see our first “road train” which is a truck loaded with 4, sometimes 5, trailers. They would literally blow our car around as we passed them. They were absolutely terrifying.

The terrain was flat flat flat and dark, deep red. Between Karratha and Exmouth, the wind was blowing hard and the car was being bumped around a bit.

Road from Exmouth to Monkey Mia (439 miles):

Geoff said the drive from Exmouth to Monkey Mia (said “my-ah” and not “me-ah”) was also desolate. Lots of plains. And temperatures above 100, again.

Road from Monkey Mia to Geraldton (268 miles):

The drive from Monkey Mia seemed less desolate for some reason. Perhaps it is the proximity to Perth (we are now only about 10 hours’ drive away) or perhaps it’s less dry underground, bur we saw some trees! Not giant ones, but 20-30 foot ones! We did see our first kangaroo roadkill (actually, G saw some on the drive to Monkey Mia so it was my first dead kanga sighting).

Road from Geraldton to Perth (258 miles):

Geraldton to Perth, stopping in Cervantes, was lovely. We left Highway 1, which has been our road the entire trip so far, and headed west. Once we got to the ocean, we headed south on "Indian Ocean Road." It was gorgeous. We didn't see the ocean constantly, but when we did, it was breathtaking. Rugged, windy, deep blue with white white sand.