13th of June
We pack up from Tom Price and catch a picture with the big
truck on the way out of town. We are heading out to Karijini national park and
the roads are still climbing in altitude with even a 10% grade warning sign, it
seemed steep but I have been in the state of flat roads for a while. We head
straight into the information centre have a look around before heading out to
Dales camp ground to set up. They had a camp host and the total cost was $14 a
night so I booked 2. After some lunch and kids running amuck we decided to go
for a drive to the other side of the national park in the weano area to have a
look at some of the gorges from the lookouts. We had been warned the road out
was rough and they weren’t kidding I tried sitting on 80kph to try and skim
over the top and had to overtake a few that had given up and were sitting on
20kph all up there was 90km of dirt and 20km of tar. After returning to camp I
wiped all the red dirt that was sitting in the bottom of the door sills before
the rubber seal to just try and save the kids getting it over them every time
they get in. I am afraid the red dirt has started in a big way but at least the
kids don’t care they love it.
14th of June
Planned to have some bacon and eggs today and had a quiet
start. After enjoying our hot breakfast I took the kids for a walk around the
camp ground while Kate made our packed lunch ready for the big walk. We had
heard that the walk down to Fortescue Falls was the easiest out of the bunch so
while hanging on to a kid each we crawled our way down the rough walk way. The
falls at the bottom were great but after speaking to some people we ended up
walking up to fern pools where I enjoyed a swim over to the water fall and the
kids had a quick dip. After enjoying some morning tea we decided to walk down
the Fortescue falls and follow the gorge all the way down to circular pools.
This was a great walk and we had to cross the water a few times with nothing
but stepping stones the kids loved the adventure. Circular pools was another
great part and after having lunch headed back up the other exit which was a
steep climb out with ladders and I had Megan in front almost like a spider
climbing up like it was nothing. All up we did about 4km of walking all class 3
and 4 in grade with a bit of class 2. Class 6 is abseiling required. Well after
getting back to camp we enjoyed a icy pole from the old waeco. The kids were
still full of energy somehow so I grabbed a beer and went for a walk around the
camp site. I ended up speaking to a nice guy from Victoria who just happened to
be driving a pajero with some very nice mods and after a bit of talking he had
become a Mitsubishi driver after his patrol blew up also. I then also ran into
a lady that we met at the bottom of the gorge that thought our kids were so
cute she wanted them and joked that I was dropping them off to her now. After
speaking to her and her husband they told me there solar wasn’t charging I used
his multi-meter and traced it down to the regulator had a loose connection
anyway after a bit of an adjustment I fixed it and ended up with a beer to
replace my empty for the return walk to camp.
15th of June
On the road again trying to make up the time for days lost with
the old truck. So we get out of camp by 8.30am, drive 90km down the road to the
auski roadhouse. I head in to top up my tank and as I drive in I have a joke to
the guy who helped me out when I ran out of fuel over a week ago as he is there
also fuelling up as I arrive, letting him know I am right today I made it and
shouldn’t need assistants. It is amazing how many times you see the same people
on your travels. We have a decent drive
down to port hedland so I convince the girls if they don’t whinge or carry on and
let me get there in time for lunch I will treat them to Maccas (I am also am
hanging for a quarter pounder). The 2 caravan parks I enquired with 5 days ago
were booked out in port hedland and I wasn’t fussed chasing any more as we want
to get to Broome so we stock up on some food make some phone calls top up the
tanks again and start heading north. We end up free camping on the side of the
road about 90km north of Port hedland in a designated free camp, and to our
surprise is very nice with heaps of bins and a nice vista over a river and the
30 odd caravans there can’t be wrong.
16th of June
Kate is on a mission to get to Broome today instead of free
camping on the side of the road again so we are out by 8.00 and have just under
600km to cover. Today was longer then we normally like and the ripping head
wind the whole way until we turned left and headed into broome didn’t help. We
arrived at Broome at 3 o’clock and parked out front of the first major caravan
park near cable beach and rang up the 2 other main ones we wanted to stay at.
First I rang cable beach because they told me they would have no problem
fitting me in a month ago and no need to book. Price here is $50 a night and
the lady says she will hold me a spot for 10mins to let me ring elsewhere. I
ring the one next door to cable beach caravan park he is cheaper but no spots available
for a week stay. I then go to walk into the one we are parked out the front of
and the sign says no vacancies so a quick phone call back to cable beach to
tell them we will be there in 2 mins. We set up everything for the longer stay
and empty the car to give it a clean out. This caravan park is so big it has
540 sites it is something to see and every site with old, young people and families
pays the same flat $50 rate per night.
17th of June
Kate wants to go to the markets and I always feel sick and
abit weak when my wife gets close to them. I can tell you now if the wife was
writing this she will tell you the markets were great and plenty to see and buy
with a hippy feel to it (feeling sick again). I spend the afternoon enjoying a
swim in the biggest swimming pool I have seen in a caravan park, before opening
my mouth for a walk down to the beach. By the time we got out of the park then
walked the km to the beach then the tide was very low so had to walk all the
way out it was time to come home and the kids were exhausted so ended up
carrying Megan the whole way back .
18th of June
I got up early had a shower and then got 4 loads of washing
done and hung before breakfast then piled into the car for a shop at the local
woolworths. We then proceed to spend the afternoon hanging by the pool
relaxing.
19th of June
Went into town checked out the tourist info centre and Kate
checked out the Pearl shop next door (me going weak again). We then had to go
to an appointment to have the babies vaccination shots. We return to the
caravan for some hot dogs and relaxing.
20th of June
We head out to Malcom Douglas croc park. The
kids have been hanging to see some Crocodiles and we were in time for the first
tour around the park, which Started with the kids being able to hold the baby
crocs. Then we watched some big crocs being fed in various parts of the park.
We then had a walk around by ourselves before returning to the main entrance
for toilets and lunch. After Lunch another tour guide started talking about pythons
and had a python about 7ft long. Jessica’s eyes lit up and before the lady
mentioned it she was begging me to get her a hold of it. Jessica was struggling
to hold the weight of it but was no way scared with a grin from ear to ear with
other people at the show also wanting a picture of her holding the snake. Her
mother was another story what a big girl the tour guide handed a smaller one for Kate
to hold while she wrapped Jessica with the bigger snake well Kate couldn’t get
rid of it quick enough. Megan was a bit nervous about it but had a pat of the snake
and that was enough. We hung around for the mass croc feeding at 3 and left not
long after to enjoy beer o’clock back at camp.
21st of June
Only a couple of days left so better start enjoying Broome
so we head down to the beach where Jessica and I head out for some body board
riding for her. After we try a couple of small waves in close we progress out
to some bigger waves where she had a ball I would line her up and push her off
while she kicked as hard as she could and caught some decent waves all the way
in to the beach. A few times after I had released her and I couldn’t see her
anymore I was left floating around thinking I have just released my kid into a
dumper for me to finely see her half way in when the wave shrunk enough.
Jessica had a ball and even had some back packers who failed to catch a wave
with their body board tell her she was a show off so after about 15 goes we
headed in where Megan who hates waves is waiting for me to take her out for a
swim with Dad. Mum whipped up some sandwiches on the beach and I get into the
beach tent to hang out with Emily while Kate and Girls go looking for coral and
shells on the beach. We spend the
afternoon trying to see the dinosaur foot prints but the tide isn’t low enough
and then we return to cable beach to drive on watch the camels and enjoy one of
our last western Australia sunsets.
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