It’s also goodbye to the snow prices, I hope. We may have traded our week at the snow for this trip, but the prices are the same! High season is high season – wherever you go.
Leaving Broome means leaving my faves – the Boab trees. But I do have a lot of photos of my friendly buddies to remind me of them. We’re headed south (it’s actually south west along the coast if you care to check the map). The landscape is suddenly treeless, and flat as we travel across the edge of the Great Sandy Desert. There’s no fires or smoke. There’s nothing at all as far as you can see!
It gets light very early – around 5.45am at the moment, and as soon as the sun is up it’s hot. I can’t believe how hot it is by 8am! At night, the temperature drops off and the dew comes down. There’s so much moisture in the air that the rain radar says it’s raining all along the coast. I can assure you, there’s no rain here.
We didn’t go far today. About 130km to Barn Hill, 10km off the highway on Thangoo Station. This place was an amazing hub of likeminded vanners (okay, Grey Nomads) all huddled under the shade of a stand of trees. The unpowered sites (used only by people like us who don’t have satellite dishes for our tv) get the treeless dirt patch on the edge of the grassy oasis. The satellite dishes allow the Nomads to watch the afternoon soapies in the comfort of their caravans – no kidding – I heard it through the windows!
Above: Spotless car, satellite dish, personal garden, green, green grass – Luxury!
The grass was quality golf course standard, and many of the campers had their own vegie patch happening. There’s a two lane homemade bowling green, which was the scene of a feisty competition while we were there. Watching the bowls match was a line of spectators in their folding chairs, some cheering, some crocheting (true!), others just waiting their turn to show off their skills.
You can join in Tai Chi every morning at 9am. Then on Sundays it’s the famous roast for $15 a head, including Pavlova (bring your own chair). There’s a sign in the toilet block (which has no roof) that someone’s selling scones, knives can be sharpened at Site 32, and BBQ night is Thursdays. You have to bring everything for that one – meat, plates, table and your chair. Begs the question.
Don’t forget the market on Saturdays – I think that’s when they sell the excess fruit and veg they grow! The cars are pristine, wiped down every morning after the dew. And the parties! They know how to party. Just near us was a crew of at least 12 having a dinner party in their annex. One couple even drove to it from their own caravan – and tooted goodbye as they left. Nice homely touch.
We were right on the beach, and could listen to the waves at night (when the parties were over). Just like at home really. The red dirt colours the water, somehow. It’s certainly not the rain that’s washing it in there!
The boys went for yet another fishing attempt. Or is that wishing? Sausages for dinner.
Harry captured another great sunset over the Indian Ocean.
And Fergus was up for the sunrise.
