nov 15th - 30th
15th November
Today we're off to the Litchfield National Park with Nadine and Wayne to enjoy some of the natural beauty that NT has to offer. It was an early start to ensure that we were out there by a reasonable time.
Our first stop was the Magnetic Termite Mounds. Some of these mounds stand at an amazing 4 meters high. You really appreciate how huge they are when you stand next to them.
Next it was off to our first water hole. We all got in the water and enjoyed ourselves immensely. Being able to be a part of the natural beauty and actually touch it and surround yourself in it makes you feel like you’re really enjoying it and appreciating it. No one wanted to get out but after an hour of so we managed to draw ourselves away because we knew there was more to come down the road.
The next water hole was a lot larger and just as enjoyable. We all tried to swim to the base of the large waterfall but the current was incredibly strong. After swimming around in the clear water for what seemed like forever we hit the road again and moved to the next waterfall.
This one was not accessible for swimming but had a fantastic viewing platform at the top of the gorge. Another beautiful spot.
Lunch was enjoyed at a local cafe before making the trek home before the nights storm took hold.
We certainly got a work out today and as we're all quite tired a quite night was essential.
16th November
Nadine and Wayne had a few bits to do this morning before they flight out to Grute Island this arvo so we all did our own thing this morning. That for us included a sleep in and a lazy morning.
The guys then came over and we went for a drink at a local cafe at the Harbor near home, The Buz Cafe. The gents toilets is very unique - it has one way glass looking out to the restaurant so that when the guys are using the urinal they are looking out to the tables of guests enjoying their lunch however from the restaurant side it just looks like a mirror - we wonder how many poor guys have come out for a look first!!
We then said our goodbyes but not for long as hopefully we'll see each other over Xmas or in the early New Year. Off they went to the airport whilst we went to the show grounds for the local surf shop sale. We all picked up a few bargains before visiting the fisherman’s wharf to purchase some seafood for tonight’s dinner. If you haven't guessed it already all the 4 of us seem to do is relax, drink and eat fabulous food. Someone’s got to do it and as our friends Nath and Rach say 'Works for Jerks'!!
17th November
Tomorrow morning we will be leaving paradise and travelling back to our home state so today has been dedicated to getting packed up, doing the food shopping and purchasing a portable air con so we can attempt to survive the 40+ degree heat in the west.
That basically took the whole day and then tonight sadly we enjoyed our last dinner and a few games of cards with our good mates.
Slept in the bus for the first time in a long time with the new ac.
18th November
Well the new ac certainly works as we both work with the quilt on us!!
Enjoyed breakfast on the balcony for the last time before saying goodbye to our friends for what will hopefully only be about a year as they're planning on heading to WA late next year or early 2009.
Hit the road and managed to be in a storm pretty much the whole way to Katherine. That was not a problem as it cooled off the morning quite substantially.
Made it to Timber Creek, about 200kms of the NT WA boarder by about 5 and after a far few hours driving decided to call it a day and hit the pool before a cool night in the air-conditioned bus.
19th November
What a huge day of driving!! We awoke at 5 as we hoped to leave by 6 but unfortunately the petrol station didn't open til 7!! After 7 we hit the road and crossed the border by about 9. It felt very satisfying to be back in WA after 11 months.
After a massive day of driving through some pretty ordinary towns like Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek and our first chip to our windscreen we rolled into Cable Beach Caravan Park at about Midnight!! Sleep, sleep, sleep was all that was on the agenda.
Today we're off to the Litchfield National Park with Nadine and Wayne to enjoy some of the natural beauty that NT has to offer. It was an early start to ensure that we were out there by a reasonable time.
Our first stop was the Magnetic Termite Mounds. Some of these mounds stand at an amazing 4 meters high. You really appreciate how huge they are when you stand next to them.
Next it was off to our first water hole. We all got in the water and enjoyed ourselves immensely. Being able to be a part of the natural beauty and actually touch it and surround yourself in it makes you feel like you’re really enjoying it and appreciating it. No one wanted to get out but after an hour of so we managed to draw ourselves away because we knew there was more to come down the road.
The next water hole was a lot larger and just as enjoyable. We all tried to swim to the base of the large waterfall but the current was incredibly strong. After swimming around in the clear water for what seemed like forever we hit the road again and moved to the next waterfall.
This one was not accessible for swimming but had a fantastic viewing platform at the top of the gorge. Another beautiful spot.
Lunch was enjoyed at a local cafe before making the trek home before the nights storm took hold.
We certainly got a work out today and as we're all quite tired a quite night was essential.
16th November
Nadine and Wayne had a few bits to do this morning before they flight out to Grute Island this arvo so we all did our own thing this morning. That for us included a sleep in and a lazy morning.
The guys then came over and we went for a drink at a local cafe at the Harbor near home, The Buz Cafe. The gents toilets is very unique - it has one way glass looking out to the restaurant so that when the guys are using the urinal they are looking out to the tables of guests enjoying their lunch however from the restaurant side it just looks like a mirror - we wonder how many poor guys have come out for a look first!!
We then said our goodbyes but not for long as hopefully we'll see each other over Xmas or in the early New Year. Off they went to the airport whilst we went to the show grounds for the local surf shop sale. We all picked up a few bargains before visiting the fisherman’s wharf to purchase some seafood for tonight’s dinner. If you haven't guessed it already all the 4 of us seem to do is relax, drink and eat fabulous food. Someone’s got to do it and as our friends Nath and Rach say 'Works for Jerks'!!
17th November
Tomorrow morning we will be leaving paradise and travelling back to our home state so today has been dedicated to getting packed up, doing the food shopping and purchasing a portable air con so we can attempt to survive the 40+ degree heat in the west.
That basically took the whole day and then tonight sadly we enjoyed our last dinner and a few games of cards with our good mates.
Slept in the bus for the first time in a long time with the new ac.
18th November
Well the new ac certainly works as we both work with the quilt on us!!
Enjoyed breakfast on the balcony for the last time before saying goodbye to our friends for what will hopefully only be about a year as they're planning on heading to WA late next year or early 2009.
Hit the road and managed to be in a storm pretty much the whole way to Katherine. That was not a problem as it cooled off the morning quite substantially.
Made it to Timber Creek, about 200kms of the NT WA boarder by about 5 and after a far few hours driving decided to call it a day and hit the pool before a cool night in the air-conditioned bus.
19th November
What a huge day of driving!! We awoke at 5 as we hoped to leave by 6 but unfortunately the petrol station didn't open til 7!! After 7 we hit the road and crossed the border by about 9. It felt very satisfying to be back in WA after 11 months.
After a massive day of driving through some pretty ordinary towns like Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek and our first chip to our windscreen we rolled into Cable Beach Caravan Park at about Midnight!! Sleep, sleep, sleep was all that was on the agenda.
20th November
Awoke in Broome and spent most of the day recovering from the heat and excessive driving by staying in the air con, sleeping and watching DVD’s.
We ventured out in the late arvo and took the short stroll down to Cable Beach to enjoy our first WA sun set in a very long time. It was beautiful and Mike got some nice shots of both the sun set and us having fun.
21st November
Today is the day that we will explore Broome. We caught the tourist bus into town early this morning and walked around China Town etc. There isn't actually as much to see as you would expect in the town and we both found it quite overrated. There are lots of pearl shops though so Bec took advantage of that and Mike bought her some beautiful pearl earrings for our impending 7 year anniversary that falls tomorrow.
The heat soon got the better of us and we returned back to the caravan park for an afternoon around the pool before setting off back down to Cable Beach to watch another sun set. The sky and ocean put on another beautiful display which we enjoyed for the second night in a row.
It was then back to camp for dinner and a bit of a pack up in preparation for our departure tomorrow.
22nd November - Happy 7 years to us!!
Left early this morning with our destination as Karratha.
Another long day of driving with a break in Port Hedland to catch up with Chris and John who happened to be up there working on the Port Hedland Hospital - Mikes favorite job, not! They were both well and managing the heat surprisingly well.
Back on the road and a few hours later we were in Karratha and with Aunty Sue and Greg. They are living up here in their new caravan and cashing in on jobs in the local booming economy.
We went out to Tambros Pub for dinner and a catch up. We haven't seen each other since our wedding so it is quite a treat to catch up. There both doing well and we all had a lovely meal and a few drinks before calling it a night.
23rd November
Sue very kindly took the day off of work today to show us around the local area. First we went to the polling booth and showed our support for Labor - go Ruddy!! It was then off to see a sight in the back streets of Roeburne, what a dump! Point Sampson was our next stop and is a very pleasant bay, we stopped and had a few drinks at the pub before driving on to Honeymoon Cove (very fitting) and then onto Cossack to pick up some fresh red emperor for dinner.
After dropping the fish back at the van we went out to Dampier and then to see the huge site that is the Woodside Gas Plant. It really is so enormous!!
Next we visited the heart of town and did some food shopping and Mike bought some new thongs after a recent blow out of his favorite Havanians!
Tonight we enjoyed the best fish we've ever tasted. Greg cooked the whole red emperor in a fish kettle on the BBQ and it was fantastic. We all had a lovely time which marked the end of our few days here in Karratha with Sue and Greg, but again not for long as they will be visiting Perth for Xmas.
24th November - Happy Birthday Minks!!
Had an early start in Karratha in order to get on the road early so as to get to Point Quobba by a reasonable time. Mike used to visit Quobba with his family when he was a young boy in the April School holidays and he has many great memories of his time there.
Arrived by 3 and we were overwhelmed by the cool sea breeze, this is what we have been chasing for the last few months!!It’s a great spot with a beautiful protected coral reef right near our camp.
After setting the camp up we went down to the beach for a swim. The water was freezing in comparison to the waters of the far north but at least its croc and stinger free! We enjoyed ourselves on the beach before heading back to camp for dinner and a few episodes of Love My Way followed by a fantastic night’s sleep in the cool breeze whilst listening to the waves crashing on the shore. We'd much rather camp out like this than be stuck in a caravan park any day of the week.
25th November
Woke to a pleasant and cool morning so we decided to do the walk up to the blow holes. What an amazing natural occurrence of water being forced meters into the sky due to naturally formed holes in the rock. We just stayed and watch for quite awhile before returning to camp and updating some of the web site for a few hours.
The clouds eased a bit this afternoon so we dug out the snorkeling gear and hit the coral reef. Today we saw an octopus, moray eel, sting rays, angel fish and many corals, clams and shells. We snorkeled over to the island and scoured the shore line for old clam shells which Bec wants to make into soap dishes when we get home. There was a huge eagles nest on the island which we didn't get close to for fear of the owner.
The tide was now going out so we jumped in and allowed the current to give us an easy ride back to the shore.
An enjoyable afternoon was had under the awning before another cool nights sleep.
26th November
Another day on easy street starting with a lay in and breakfast under the awning whilst watching the sea.
Spent a huge part of today updating the web. Bec did all the typing on the laptop whilst Mike edited the photos and slotted them into their respective spots on the diary. Tedious but a good job to get out of the way.
This afternoon Bec went for a walk along the beach and we met the next door neighbors. Their names are Norm and Jean and they have 2 adorable Picanese dogs called Moochy and Sarchy. Norm and Jean are from Noosa and are travelling in a lovely new Winnebago - it’s massive!! We enjoyed an afternoon drink with them and got to hear about some of their other trips around Aus in many different buses, motor homes and caravans.
Dinner was accompanied by a great sunset and a few wines before retiring for the night.
Awoke in Broome and spent most of the day recovering from the heat and excessive driving by staying in the air con, sleeping and watching DVD’s.
We ventured out in the late arvo and took the short stroll down to Cable Beach to enjoy our first WA sun set in a very long time. It was beautiful and Mike got some nice shots of both the sun set and us having fun.
21st November
Today is the day that we will explore Broome. We caught the tourist bus into town early this morning and walked around China Town etc. There isn't actually as much to see as you would expect in the town and we both found it quite overrated. There are lots of pearl shops though so Bec took advantage of that and Mike bought her some beautiful pearl earrings for our impending 7 year anniversary that falls tomorrow.
The heat soon got the better of us and we returned back to the caravan park for an afternoon around the pool before setting off back down to Cable Beach to watch another sun set. The sky and ocean put on another beautiful display which we enjoyed for the second night in a row.
It was then back to camp for dinner and a bit of a pack up in preparation for our departure tomorrow.
22nd November - Happy 7 years to us!!
Left early this morning with our destination as Karratha.
Another long day of driving with a break in Port Hedland to catch up with Chris and John who happened to be up there working on the Port Hedland Hospital - Mikes favorite job, not! They were both well and managing the heat surprisingly well.
Back on the road and a few hours later we were in Karratha and with Aunty Sue and Greg. They are living up here in their new caravan and cashing in on jobs in the local booming economy.
We went out to Tambros Pub for dinner and a catch up. We haven't seen each other since our wedding so it is quite a treat to catch up. There both doing well and we all had a lovely meal and a few drinks before calling it a night.
23rd November
Sue very kindly took the day off of work today to show us around the local area. First we went to the polling booth and showed our support for Labor - go Ruddy!! It was then off to see a sight in the back streets of Roeburne, what a dump! Point Sampson was our next stop and is a very pleasant bay, we stopped and had a few drinks at the pub before driving on to Honeymoon Cove (very fitting) and then onto Cossack to pick up some fresh red emperor for dinner.
After dropping the fish back at the van we went out to Dampier and then to see the huge site that is the Woodside Gas Plant. It really is so enormous!!
Next we visited the heart of town and did some food shopping and Mike bought some new thongs after a recent blow out of his favorite Havanians!
Tonight we enjoyed the best fish we've ever tasted. Greg cooked the whole red emperor in a fish kettle on the BBQ and it was fantastic. We all had a lovely time which marked the end of our few days here in Karratha with Sue and Greg, but again not for long as they will be visiting Perth for Xmas.
24th November - Happy Birthday Minks!!
Had an early start in Karratha in order to get on the road early so as to get to Point Quobba by a reasonable time. Mike used to visit Quobba with his family when he was a young boy in the April School holidays and he has many great memories of his time there.
Arrived by 3 and we were overwhelmed by the cool sea breeze, this is what we have been chasing for the last few months!!It’s a great spot with a beautiful protected coral reef right near our camp.
After setting the camp up we went down to the beach for a swim. The water was freezing in comparison to the waters of the far north but at least its croc and stinger free! We enjoyed ourselves on the beach before heading back to camp for dinner and a few episodes of Love My Way followed by a fantastic night’s sleep in the cool breeze whilst listening to the waves crashing on the shore. We'd much rather camp out like this than be stuck in a caravan park any day of the week.
25th November
Woke to a pleasant and cool morning so we decided to do the walk up to the blow holes. What an amazing natural occurrence of water being forced meters into the sky due to naturally formed holes in the rock. We just stayed and watch for quite awhile before returning to camp and updating some of the web site for a few hours.
The clouds eased a bit this afternoon so we dug out the snorkeling gear and hit the coral reef. Today we saw an octopus, moray eel, sting rays, angel fish and many corals, clams and shells. We snorkeled over to the island and scoured the shore line for old clam shells which Bec wants to make into soap dishes when we get home. There was a huge eagles nest on the island which we didn't get close to for fear of the owner.
The tide was now going out so we jumped in and allowed the current to give us an easy ride back to the shore.
An enjoyable afternoon was had under the awning before another cool nights sleep.
26th November
Another day on easy street starting with a lay in and breakfast under the awning whilst watching the sea.
Spent a huge part of today updating the web. Bec did all the typing on the laptop whilst Mike edited the photos and slotted them into their respective spots on the diary. Tedious but a good job to get out of the way.
This afternoon Bec went for a walk along the beach and we met the next door neighbors. Their names are Norm and Jean and they have 2 adorable Picanese dogs called Moochy and Sarchy. Norm and Jean are from Noosa and are travelling in a lovely new Winnebago - it’s massive!! We enjoyed an afternoon drink with them and got to hear about some of their other trips around Aus in many different buses, motor homes and caravans.
Dinner was accompanied by a great sunset and a few wines before retiring for the night.
27th November
Today we're off to Shark Bay so we rose fairly early, packed up, said goodbye to our new found friends and hit the road.
After a quick trip to Carnarvon to stock up on supplies we arrived at Hamlin Pool by early afternoon. It was quite hot so we decided to chill out around the bus for the afternoon and then go down to see the Stromatalites just before sunset.
Mike has been to Hamlin Pool many times with his parents over the years and since his last visit it has been declared a marine reserve. This means that you are no longer allowed to swim with the Stromatalites and in order to conserve them you must only walk on the manmade boardwalk that has since been installed.
Stromatalites are the oldest known life form on earth. They date back approximately 3.5 millon years and are said to be the beginning of evolution as they are the first known multi celled organism. The form rock like club shaped structures that grow approximately .5 mm each year.
Very interesting and a nice sunset to boot!
28th November
This morning we were treated to a private viewing of the Old Telegraph and Stromatalite Museum. It was purely a case of who you know and not what you know. There is a new owner here who has been hunting for underwater pictures of the Stromatalites for the last year. The pictures would need to be 13 years or older as that is how long it has been a marine reserve and after Mike explained about Jeff's photography from the early 1990's the owner got very excited and was putty in our hands. A very enjoyable step back in time!
We hit the road again and set off for Denham. When we arrived we visited the info centre and chemist and both were unpleasant experiences. It seems that people in this town don't have much to be happy about that they were both very rude. Stuff staying here!!
Money Mia was a lot more welcoming so we checked into the resort and enjoyed an afternoon around the pool and at the beach before a few bevies back at the bus and a catch up with a family we met a few days ago.
29th November
An early morning was required this morning as the dolphins are in tune with day light savings and met down at the beach in front of the resort by 7.30. At times there were about 10 dolphins and even a 2 week old calf. They were frolicking and playing happily and eagerly awaiting their feed. Due to the calf we weren't allowed in the water but one of the dolphins Niki looked like she was after attention and spent about 15 minutes rolling around in the shallows just in front of us almost begging for a pat. It was an amazing experience that we will not forget.
After the excitement of the dolphins Bec enjoyed a walk up and down the shore whilst Mike diligently went back and packed up the bus. We left soon after and headed for a camp the other side of Denham called Whalebone.
A great little spot all to ourselves. The bus was parked right by the water and we spent the rest of day fishing, combing the beach for shells, swimming and walking around the headlands. Bec got a fright at one point when to roos hopped out of a rocky cave on the cliff above us.
3 episodes of Love My Way were enjoyed in the afternoon before Mike cooked up a storm and we enjoyed the catch of the day. There's nothing like fresh fish!!
30th November
Awoke at Whalebone and enjoyed a relaxing morning before packing up and hitting the road to Geraldton.
Four hours later we pulled into Gero and hit the shops to stock up on supplies before going to our friends house, Nath and Rach who we met and travelled with early in the piece.
It was so fantastic to see the guys for the first time since Lakes Entrance in April. Their house in lovely with a beautiful big patio and back yard so we promptly grabbed a beer and sat out the back and caught up on our trips since we'd last seen each other.
Nath and Rach have been home for just over a month and are loving being back in their house with power, running water and all the mod cons. The rest of their trip sounds fantastic but very different from ours due to the time of year they were up north and the fact that they had a 4WD.
We had a very enjoyable night and yummy bbq and enjoyed each other’s company.
Today we're off to Shark Bay so we rose fairly early, packed up, said goodbye to our new found friends and hit the road.
After a quick trip to Carnarvon to stock up on supplies we arrived at Hamlin Pool by early afternoon. It was quite hot so we decided to chill out around the bus for the afternoon and then go down to see the Stromatalites just before sunset.
Mike has been to Hamlin Pool many times with his parents over the years and since his last visit it has been declared a marine reserve. This means that you are no longer allowed to swim with the Stromatalites and in order to conserve them you must only walk on the manmade boardwalk that has since been installed.
Stromatalites are the oldest known life form on earth. They date back approximately 3.5 millon years and are said to be the beginning of evolution as they are the first known multi celled organism. The form rock like club shaped structures that grow approximately .5 mm each year.
Very interesting and a nice sunset to boot!
28th November
This morning we were treated to a private viewing of the Old Telegraph and Stromatalite Museum. It was purely a case of who you know and not what you know. There is a new owner here who has been hunting for underwater pictures of the Stromatalites for the last year. The pictures would need to be 13 years or older as that is how long it has been a marine reserve and after Mike explained about Jeff's photography from the early 1990's the owner got very excited and was putty in our hands. A very enjoyable step back in time!
We hit the road again and set off for Denham. When we arrived we visited the info centre and chemist and both were unpleasant experiences. It seems that people in this town don't have much to be happy about that they were both very rude. Stuff staying here!!
Money Mia was a lot more welcoming so we checked into the resort and enjoyed an afternoon around the pool and at the beach before a few bevies back at the bus and a catch up with a family we met a few days ago.
29th November
An early morning was required this morning as the dolphins are in tune with day light savings and met down at the beach in front of the resort by 7.30. At times there were about 10 dolphins and even a 2 week old calf. They were frolicking and playing happily and eagerly awaiting their feed. Due to the calf we weren't allowed in the water but one of the dolphins Niki looked like she was after attention and spent about 15 minutes rolling around in the shallows just in front of us almost begging for a pat. It was an amazing experience that we will not forget.
After the excitement of the dolphins Bec enjoyed a walk up and down the shore whilst Mike diligently went back and packed up the bus. We left soon after and headed for a camp the other side of Denham called Whalebone.
A great little spot all to ourselves. The bus was parked right by the water and we spent the rest of day fishing, combing the beach for shells, swimming and walking around the headlands. Bec got a fright at one point when to roos hopped out of a rocky cave on the cliff above us.
3 episodes of Love My Way were enjoyed in the afternoon before Mike cooked up a storm and we enjoyed the catch of the day. There's nothing like fresh fish!!
30th November
Awoke at Whalebone and enjoyed a relaxing morning before packing up and hitting the road to Geraldton.
Four hours later we pulled into Gero and hit the shops to stock up on supplies before going to our friends house, Nath and Rach who we met and travelled with early in the piece.
It was so fantastic to see the guys for the first time since Lakes Entrance in April. Their house in lovely with a beautiful big patio and back yard so we promptly grabbed a beer and sat out the back and caught up on our trips since we'd last seen each other.
Nath and Rach have been home for just over a month and are loving being back in their house with power, running water and all the mod cons. The rest of their trip sounds fantastic but very different from ours due to the time of year they were up north and the fact that they had a 4WD.
We had a very enjoyable night and yummy bbq and enjoyed each other’s company.