Month: May 2021

Tuesday, 11th May 2021

Panic but we make it to Anne’s hair appointment a 10.45am five minutes early. Success and we thank the young lady. (I forget her name)  N.B. Good service  but elsewhere it would be $40. Here it’s $60 without a hair wash. Not slamming the salon. It is good. This is par for the course for remote area’s and pseudo monopoly. There are other salons so it’s not true monopoly but there aren’t enough. So the salons are perpetually, fully booked, So they can beef up the prices. Then again I guess it is seasonal. (?)

Off to the Visitors Centre. We find a phone book and just for the hell of it, I phone for a car lube. Stupid because the whole town is booked till June. A CANCELLATION!!! Off there straight away before they change their minds.

Car to the mechanics. Then local taxi, ‘Jacob’ takes us to Matso’s for lunch.

The slogan is “Kimberley with Class’. The card shows a Mercedes. The vehicle is a Toyota minivan. Having said that, A new, good, comfy air cond minivan. We were happy with our lot.

Evil liquid. “Harmless” (?) Ginger Beer at 3.7% !!! You think you are drinking ‘softies!’

Now,… lovely old wall photos, but are they necessary? Note the individual urinals in the photo. Do you need that when you are just …… relieving your self?

The ‘D’s join us and we have a few. They take us to the cutest little Bunnings you have ever seen. They are surprisingly well stocked. We get 80% of what we wanted. The ‘D’s must go and we are a  three minute walk to the car place.

By the way, re photo below, (tilt left), we did not buy the extra sq metre of fake lawn. It wasn’t the same.

Back to the Park. Extend two days,  so leaving Saturday now. Home. Anne, all of a sudden, not well, but over an hour and a half she bounces back.

The great salad again, showers, liquid and  ……….

zzzzzzzzz       zzzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Monday, 10th May 2021.

Decided to put this in. Is it just me or what? Why have chairs in a shared toilet environment? Why cater for loitering in a men’s toilet? Don’t get it. It’s not a Spa for goodness sake!

We are off to do the shopping.

At the Mall where the Woolworths is. Now this coffee shop is clever. Free drinks for Police. You want undesirables to stay away? Why not encourage Police Officers to hang around. CLEVER.

Shopping done, including the liquids. A little rest, then be at Cable Beach by 4pm to spend $220 in one hour. It was pleasant enough. Our beast of burden was ‘Ned’. I have come across a dog called Ned and a truck called Ned and now a camel called Ned, and they were all RED. So this is Red Ned.

… And this is the loading station. Very sensible because very few young people do this and a lot of ‘not so young’ people do.

That is the Maestro, I thin John (?) and he knows a lot about camels and all about these guys. Only one of our camels were born in captivity. The rest are born in the wild but are as placid as a Koala on valium.

The train arrives for boarding, but first the previous trip has to disembark.

We wait with anxiety and apprehension. Well not really. We were waiting with our complimentary Corona beer.

Something to note. Unlike al the other feral animals introduced to Australia, camels do not have hard hooves but instead soft pads, Very ground user friendly.

When I first looked up at the seat, I asked, ‘do we get parachutes?’

Now my wife taking selfies has a reputation for putting me in the back and cutting part of me head off. That’s OK if it can’t be helped, however in this case, I had to get behind her so the photo showed the camel behind us. It’s nice to know where you stand in society. In a film, I would be an Extra.

Now when I take a selfie, we are both in shot and the camels face is partly cropped. Mind you it was a bit of a trick getting that one.

It was a nice sunset ride. We are the second back in the photo.

Another in the series of Self Adoration shots.

Sunset, a poor second.

Back to self Adoration.

…. and yet another. Of course these are from the other side.

I’m cheating. This is another group, but we look the same.

Great shadows.

Better sunset shop. Different camera. We had four. (!?)

Almost back and it looks like the Aussie Army are doing some sort of sunset Army promo shoot. (Shoot? Poor choice of word.)

Well that was the highlight, so back to van, showers and shorts in the wash. There is a definite, earthy, camel smell about them now.

Great cold noodle salad. Very tasty and more-ish. Bit of TV. Down load cameras. Bed.

zzzzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzz

Sunday, 9th May 2021.

It’s holiday time and a new town so let’s have some fun! We decide to defrost the car fridge freezer.

Doing the van, you are inside and hence have AC etc. Doing the car fridge I am up a step or two, head in the side of the back tub of the car, bent over and bum like a waving flag as I work.

Will not bore with details. We also made a list of super market shopping, Bunnings and first stop, the park office for tours, extend stay, etc.

So we drive to the office as this is the first stop. Half an hour. Camel trips. Three groups and three times and periods and prices. The only one not booked for the next 5 days is the ‘Red’ one. They happen to be more expensive. Wonder why they have vacancies? Derrrr.

OK. That will do. Ohhh. Surcharge for Sunday on top of being the most expensive. ‘Thanks. We will think about it.’

Yes. We are here tomorrow/Monday, so no surcharge. OK. we are booked. I must say it is lovely up here but I have got quotes for Oyster platters and in a land where oysters are ‘common as muck’, they are the most expensive I have been quoted.  Mix it all up, I DO get so sick of being screwed over. NO! I am NOT going to pay between $650 and $1250 per person to look at the Horizontal falls. They are amazing. But it’s all money up here. I flew over the Grand Canyon etc for hours including a scrub landing to refuel. It was hours for about US 250 pp (AU$ at the time $370.) And that’s Las Vegas!!

Yes. You only live once so why not spend it? If I had spent money on every appealing sight since I was earning money, I would have spent my entire life bankrupt.

We extend so, now not leaving Tuesday morning but Thursday.

Anyway, still at the office, it’s lunch time. Off to rip off for lunch? No. We drive back to the caravan for fresh multigrain Helga bread with Philadelphia cream cheese, capers and Atlantic smoked salmon. About $12 for both of us.

Afternoon snoozes. Wake up and the day has gone.

Chili Con Carne, corn chips, guacamole, rice, cheese … Utopia. Phone a friend GR for his birthday, Kingsmen movie, bed.

zzzzzzz      zzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzz

 

Saturday, 8th May 2021.

Broome. We are picked up by Lou and Mick and taken on a ‘whirl-wind’ tour of  Broome starting with the Saturday market.

Anne doing ‘Market.’

Tilt right for the Boab tree.

Old court house.

Is this the last remaining ‘Mr Whippy’ van?

Squint. It’s us.

This is the Mexican stall.  It reads, ‘Feed me tacos, smack my arse, and tell me I’m pretty.’ I guess that is significant under some circumstances. I was prepared to drop my duds as required but there was not a glimpse of saving the day.

A Paspali boat?

The Combi is supposed to be here but it wouldn’t load.

Jetty.

The planes land low here. WAY lower than Darwin.

Twist right.

 

Great beach. Wish I was hiring the umbrellas.

Mutual self adoration.

Tilt right. It has to be upright to work.

Same here. has to be upright.

Beers. Sample ‘try’ beers, but pay full price.

Cute as is, but better twist left.

Selfie group shot. Just so damn cool, it’s not funny.

Got even better since a volunteer offered to take a shot to get in on the franchise.

Name …

Those damn camels again.

Cris and Helder gave us this bottle of Portuguese wine from Evora. The truth be known, I had been drinking an Aussie red. We popped this and the bouquet instantly jumped out at us. Knock out drop. Thank you guys! For all you civilians who have never been to Portugal, Evora is a great area for superior wines. Monsaraz.

That’s it. We have done an inventory on the car freezer and it gets serviced tomorrow. Defrosted.

Food, bed ….

zzzz            zzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, 7th May 2021.

Bye-bye time.

Not half bad. More 65%.

We pull over for a good reason.  Done. Move on.

At the Sandfire Roadhouse. More peacocks. What is it with peacocks and roadhouses? They appear to be Omni-present.

On we go. Is that a rolled car?

Yes it is..

A stop.

The turn off to Barn Hill.

Yes …  no ….. yes ….. no  ……. yes …    ………..No.

On.

Broome. What’s this?

Camels. Commercial. We may meat again soon.

Good facilities.

This is Pigeon English, isn’t it?

Good stop. Shady.

Nice end of day. Showers. Pasta, Bed.

zzzzzzzzz      zzzzzzzzzzzzzz             zzzzzzzzzzzz

N.B. ADDITION ADDED 10TH MAY. DRONE SHOTS OF 10 MILE BEACH.

Incomplete.

 

 

(Late. Been without internet.)

 

Wednesday, 5th, Thursday 6th  May 2021.

Yet another lovely, sort of nothing day. Or it was going to be. Washing bed linen etc. Bummer.

Still, after that far too hot and sticky to do anything physical. AND high tide is not till 4.54pm which is totally un-acceptable as regards beer-o’clock. However, the next high is 7.27am tomorrow morning. Much more civilized. Of course we will have to set the alarm.

Just a short wander now then.

A closer look at the local fishing trailers. Comfort plus, reversed into the water, I imagine just a very short way. The only thing missing is the TV.

Here a skeleton of a man and his dog. Anne covers the statement on the sign behind her which says, ‘Just a matter of time.’ Well  …. yeh …  but lets not dwell on it.

So another ‘off’ afternoon. That is not terrible.

Tick … tick … tick towards BOC. (Beer O’Clock) cometh. closer -eth.

It happens. Great night again. Slow, social. Showers, meal bed.

Good night.

zzzzzzzzzzzz       zzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzz

 

Thursday, 6th May 2021

So our cunning plan to go this morning includes an alarm. Damn. About 6.30am Ouch. Off we all go. Now this is much better. cooler, fresh. a bit of hope. One chap already at the fish cleaning table. ‘You beat the tide by 10 minutes.’ says I in a pleasant banter attempt. ‘No. My wife did. She caught it then phoned me to come and clean it.’

Mick had checked the tide times to confirm.

So all set up and I have given Anne my word we will be out for just one hour.

Anne, I think needs a kick off. So I ask her to have a go. Neither of us came up to the task.

I have old, old bait which has been refrozen. It is finished. Bait to the gulls.

Is it ‘Clara’ (?) the chook from across the way. You get to meet a lot of ‘people.’

It turns into a mad cleaning day, thanks to my lovely, manic cleaner spouse.

Mick lurks close with a hose, looking for a second ‘win’ after scoring me as the  first ‘sucker bait’ pidgeon of a hose attack.

Chirpy … dedicated.

Pristine rear of car waiting for chair, two step stool and clothes rack.

An amateur concert is pending across the way. We wait patiently and  create an early start BOC (Beer O’clock.) to accommodated.

We have time for a walk to sunset.

The brains of the outfits.

More drinks. Meat and three. Showers.

zzzzzzzzzzzz        zzzzzzzzzzzz        zzzzzzzzzzz

Tuesday, 4th May 2021.

Another easy day. The Princess is quite a bit better. Better enough to start issuing orders. A few things taken care of including van cabinet struts on their way to Darwin for us to get in due course. Also, I may have successfully negotiated reimbursement of the grand sum of $39 from the RAA for having to extend a night at Bullara. As it turned out, they were silly sausages. I sent all credit card receipts I had and a letter of explanation showing I was just after $39 BUT they wanted an official invoice. So I asked Bullara and they provided it. I somehow ended up with an extra $100 instead of $39. Why don’t people JUST LISTEN.

Anyway, se photo. Unfortunately I did not get a photo of the whole thing set up. The thing is a ‘Gidget’ (NOT Midget) Unfortunately, they have closed. However these proud owners had a dome style tent with fly screen sides that incorporated the ‘bedroom’ van with kitchen into it. It was very cleverly put together. Cracker of a paint job as well.

A bit of park action we can relate to.

The quiet day went on quiet. No one was catching fish so both sets of neighbours waited patiently for the main event. Beer-o’clock of course.

Now Mick’s is 4pm. Mine is 5pm. We decided on a mutually acceptable  4.30pm. So chatting and imbibing x four until it was time to lower the flag.

Showers, food (finally my big fish catch was consumed) another glass (or 3) Bed.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzzz        zzzzzzzzzzzz

Monday, 3rd May 2021.

A bright morning and a sleep in for both of us. 8am for me. The ‘sick chick’ is still dozing and I leave well enough alone. I  finish yesterdays blog instead. She eventually stirs and is better but lets just keep it to water.

A suggestion from the patient. The shop has 5 litre water bottles. Lets get a bottle. So I off to the shop with a hello along the way to Lou next door and some total strangers. Lou ask after Anne. I replied she is ordering me around so …

The shop unfortunately has lots of shiny things. So after Lou graciously sharpened my fillet knife yesterday with her butchers ‘steel’ I spot a shiny new one for just $10. I justify by thinking either the old one or the new one is a backup for the other. Compulsive buyer logic. Look! something else shiny. A fishing rod holder. Now, in view of the fact that, yesterday I baited up by leaning my rod against Lou and Micks umbrella, this IS a justified purchase.

Nothing else? Oh. The water. The total was $39. Water $10, knife $10 so rod holder $19? I thought it was $18-? cents. What does it matter?

Tilt right for water. (at least it’s made in Australia. By the way, water has ‘best before’ dates. This one is 29-7-2022.

The back up (?) or main (?) fillet knife.

Tilt head right for almost indiscernible fishing rod holder.

Today will be an R & R day.

Back home chatting to the stranger in full stride as I go past again.

Water dispensed to patient.  Breakfast Honey on toast and cup of hot water. Mid morning tea, honey and crackers, lunch just a little scrambled egg.

Mine was similar but with substitutes. Baked beans on toast etc etc etc

As I said, it’s an R & R sort of ‘nothing’ day.

More sitting, watching, resting and laptop.

The day goes. No formal beer-o’clock today although I won’t go without.

So I repair to the car fridge to get a beer and I notice Mick sits in close proximity. Everyone is in close proximity in a van park. At first sight, he is gazing into space and all alone. I believe he is contemplating life as he is side on to the setting sun. I have heard this is the best way to contemplate life and I saw a perfect example immediately adjacent. How lucky was I?

Meaning of life can wait. I join him for a short time and we discuss other serious stuff and were joined by Lou, just in time for the discussion on teeth crowns.

I must be back to the patient. I shower and prepare the meal. Very basic because Anne’s will be a tiny part of my humble pasty.

TV, laptop grade S and P wine then, we look forward to a better day on the morrow. (N.B. S … Shiraz &  P …..Port)

zzzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzz

 

Sunday, 2nd May 2021

Up early ish. 7am. Nice time of the day. Should do this more often. Fossick around a bit. Fishing has been mentioned with Lou and Mick so …. sort the new tackle box and have a squiz of the surrounds.

N.B.  (squiz /skwɪz/INFORMAL•AUSTRALIAN noun: a look or glance. “take a squiz out that window” verb: look or glance at. e.g. “the mechanic squizzed the plane’s cargo”

Spot the locals. All got quad bikes, selections of rods and varying shelters on the trailers.

This one might be the ‘Sunday going to church’ quad.

Look at this one. I’d say they back it into the water and sit there in comfort awning overhead and the water lapping gently under the suspended feet. Ahh! Roughing it.

  Cheeky little bugger, obviously petrified of humans.

… obviously.

Now getting serious. trying to break my record as worst  possible,  non catching fishing person is .. Leith Carroll. Look at me on the beach with Mick. Leith Carroll: You can hide with sunnys, your Akubra and your Shimano shirt but you …. Mr DUD are the worst ever fisher person ever. (ever … that’s 3)

If I had been with JC back in year ‘0’ and he gave his speech, ‘Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ , He would have glanced sideways at me and said, ‘Not you Leith. You stay here and prepare the table.

I look the part below. About to  heave back on a big one? No. I’ve just got an itch.

The next two and a half hours is spent walking between ocean and bait. This is an improvement as I usually don’t get nibbles and do not lose bait. Progress!

HOLD THE PHONE!!

No! It’s not photoshop!

(Although photoshop has opened doors for me in the past.)

It’s a REAL fish … and legal! And I caught it with intent! (as in I meant to do it.) I am told it is a Blue Threadfin Salmon.

N.B. Fish Facts: Blue threadfin salmon By Dr Ben Diggles | 14 July 2011

Blue threadfin spend their whole life cycle in warm shallow coastal waters and tidal rivers, often in very turbid areas around mangroves, muddy bays and river mouths. Blue threadfin are found throughout the Indo Pacific region from northern Australia and PNG as far east as India and Madagascar. In Australia, blue threadfin are protandrous hermaphrodites like barramundi, i.e. in Western Australia they mature first as males in their first year at 20 cm, then change sex into females at two-three years of age around 40cm long, and grow to around 90cm fork length. However, growth rates vary markedly between regions with fish from Keppel Bay, QLD exhibiting the fastest growth (80cm in around seven years) compared to other regions such as Blue Mud By, NT, where a seven-year-old blue threadfin on average is less than 40cm long.

A miracle!

Timor Leste friends will see this as ‘small potatoes’ and compared with TL, the land of fishing milk and honey, that is understandable. Still two good fillets and a meal for two, especially if you are planning to lose weight.

Never say die. I go back, and shortly there after, get another which was a baby and had to go back to mummy.

N.B. I am featuring in all this, but I have the rod and the dirty, fishy hands and Anne has the clean hands and the camera.

End of day. Pack up and walk back, stopping at the fish cleaning station to ‘clean the fish.’ (?) Having just lost my fish catching virginity, this is a new challenge. I go to the provided fish cleaning station. There are two  others there.  One more mature chap gives me a short lesson and I hung on his every word. He did about 2/3 of it and I managed through the rest with only minor stuff ups.

BREAKING NEWS !  Coincidently and as a matter of interest, as I write this the TV is on. There is a ‘docco’ show on the Southern Right Whale. The narrator just said something to the effect that during mating, the huge male approaches the female. He has a four metre long penis and during sex, he  ejaculates a gallon of semen. The female, often rolls onto her back with underside on the surface in a desperate effort to avoid the amorous attacker. Given the pending possible experience, you can understand her actions. Fascinating … sort of.

Shower first for obvious reasons, then drinks with neighbours, Mick and Lou.

Anne is tired. Anne is not well. Anne is sun/heat stroked.  Anne is physically ill and we will not be having fish for dinner. I make her as comfy as possible and do what I can but only rest and time will heal.

The night is over.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Saturday, 1st May 2021.

We return our back door key to the Golf Club office prior to morning departure. ‘John’ was there. He is a volunteer who comes up from Perth from time to time and lends a hand. Good on ya John. This is a classic Golf joke, I dare say.

Nice club …

With a green oasis out the back in this desolate iron ore red place.

Anne spotted a long procession of hairy caterpillars but by the time I responded with camera, the procession had broken ranks and dispersed. These few were cuddled together trying to look like a bit of hairy rubbish and they did. Good Camouflage.

We are off to 80 Mile Beach C Park about I think 260 or so clicks East, North East. Broome direction.

Yesterday when we arrived and went for a drive through Port Hedland, I was a little negative. I was thinking big, dirty, dusty, industrial, remote hole.

In the clear light of day, thinking about the never ending trains with who knows how many ore wagons and endless triple and quad ore pulling trucks and the shear mass and intensity of it all, I started to realize, this place helps the economy of Australia so much and who knows, carries the whole country. I say ‘Here’s cheers! and ‘Well done’ and ‘Thank you’ to Port Hedland.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Donga.

Pardoo Roadhouse. An oasis in the desert with bacon and egg (crumbly) rolls. If you want to know how crumbly, ask Anne. No. On second thoughts, don’t get her going gain.

More Donga.

Oh joy! The turn off we have been waiting for. But first 8.7km of corrugated iron ore red dirt road.

Then more joy.

Shady trees and a 2 minute walk to the beach. We rendezvous and park next to Mick and Lou who we have caught up to..

Looks a good peaceful camp all set up? Yes? NO! The bumpy road has tipped over and UNOPENED large dish washing detergent and popped the unopened top which didn’t even have the seal broken on it. Now think. Concentrated ‘Morning Fresh’ one litre bottle on its side, filling up the cupboard, running out the bottom of the door, down the cupboard front and ….ON TO ALL THE MATS! You know what happens when you try and wash concentrated detergent out of a mat? I think Anne did 5 mats. No. I did not get a photo. I did not have the guts. I also would not bring it up if I were you.

Now making a little history here.

Firstly I don’t do beaches and certainly not sand. So here I have kicked off my thongs and are walking through the sand. AND, I have taken the big heavy camera with me, like I always intend to but never do.

Secondly I never leave shoes behind, Here I have not only left shoes behind, unguarded BUT left an unopened beer in a cooler!

It was all worth it.

The big camera really catches the colours. Should do more. WILL do more.

Beer, wine, sit down, chat. Back to home, Showers, food, a little TV, bed.

Tomorrow is another day, obviously.

zzzzzzz       zzzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzz