Disturbed night, bigtime. Music started just before 9pm but not too loud,went to sleep to be woken at 11.40pm by loud music, we both got up and dressed and Colin knocked on the caravan door and asked him to turn the music down, we got a lot of verbal agression trying to provoke Colin. Rose rang site manager who was with us in a couple of minutes, he tried to calm the bloke down but he'd been drinking and punched the manager to the ground, Rose rang the police who attended but did'nt arrest him!!! because he had his young son with him in the van and he allegations that Colin had damaged his van. It seems they deem it as common assault which is not an arrestable offence in Oz. Wego to police station tomorrow/today to make statements about the attack on the site manager, we went to hospital with the site manager to make sure he was OK as he had cuts and bruises. Back into bed approx 2am. Woke 7am but went back to sleep till 9am. We are certainly having a different time in Carnarvan. Dee rang this morning to say they were on their way, Rose met them at thegate and showed the way to our site. we sat and tea and caketalking about our eventful nights and theirs, it seems campers near them decided to pack up at 4.30am and leave also in a cabin nearby is a screaming 2year old! We are both going to the Quoba Blowholes on Monday so will meet up with them for a picnic. Will do tomorrow what we did'nt do today.
22nd April Sunday
Quiet night, bliss, still both tired but good sleep. Colin rang Laurie and a bit later we skyped Marion and Laurie, it was good catching up with them, it was needed just like staying in one place for a week. Colin is giving the vehicle a maintenance check today. Rose is checking food stocks and cleaning (womans work is never done). Last night we went to the police station to find out what was going to happen after the incident (the other man has been kicked off site today), the police are not going to pursue the matter but will keep on file as the bloke has previous violent records, it's a case of no independant witnesses. Glad in a way as it's all behind us now. Finished our jobs and have a list of food for store cupboard which should see us through till we get to QLD. It has paid off buying food when on offer. Colin cut his hair, it got so long that it ruffled in the wind. Colin spoke to Natalie for a while after dinner. We are seeing Galahs
again in the caravan pk, such funny birds.
23rd April Monday
St Georges Day - Rose wore her St George T shirt all day and it has been warm all day. Up early today, left site at 10am, filled up with fuel and met Al and Dee and drove to Quobba Blowholes. Just outside of town onto a dirt road (shortcut) for approx 20kms before joining main bitumen, we are skirting the south side of lake Mcloud, which does'nt have any water in it, there is also a salt mine
further north.
Very desolate. One of the salt lakes has a lovely blue tinge.
.JPG)
Stopped at the Blowholes
and saw fish and crabs
in the pools, there were also oysters but Al couldn't get down to them. Drove along
before walking onto the beach, water a bit cold as wind has got up. Colin and Al went for a swim, they said water quite warm after initial dip (don't belive them). Arranged to meet tomorrow then drove back to site, missing the dirt road turn so came back along the highway. Lovely day.
24th April Tuesday
Up early 7am, already warm. After laundry went and did all our shopping, fuelling up and library to update blog, also looking for caravan pks in Exmouth and Coral Bay to decide where to go tomorrow. Going to Al and Dee's tonight for BBQ it's our turn to buy the food, so we got pork chops(big) and a danish pastry for pudding. Decided we are going to go to Ningaloo but we have to hire a portable toilet(luxury). Met Ron (Dee's brother)and his wife Carol at BBQ, nice couple it was a lovely evening with the conversation flowing. Left at 8.30 saying our goodbyes to Al and Dee, not sure if we will see them again, will ring them lots. Still warm when went to bed.
25th April Wednesday
Anzac day.
Al and Dee were getting up early for the dawn service in Carnarvon, there is also a parade later in the morning. All shops are closed till lunchtime as a mark of respect, Al feels they should be closed all day(he is ex army as is Dee). Up at 7am, the locals are saying it should be a good day for fishing, and we are on the road! Left site and just on way when we had to turn back, forgot to fill water containers(no more water for 500kms). Left town eventually at 10am, it has definately heated up and we have a hot Northerly wind again. Very sparce vegetation along the road and only wildlife has been a dead Camel and Kangaroo. Stopped at Minilya rest area
for lunch and sit in the shade before going on to Exmouth Road to Lyndon West rest area for the night. There are no trees but a couple of open sheds for shade. Temp is 30+ today. This rest area has a lot of flies(flyswat is working overtime). sat down having a cuppa when a motorhome pulled in, it was Colin and Joan from Cape Riche with Joan's sister Barbara,
they are going up to Nat Pk at Exmouth for a few days, small world again. Great catching up with them again. Went and had a chat with a couple Harold and Margaret for a bit, we had seen them at a previous stop. Still warm when we wentto bed, sleeping in LRover tonight.
26th April Thursday
Not too bad a sleep. 20degs at 7.30am, we watched the sun come up from in bed. After saying goodbye to Colin Joan and Barbara we decided to head towards Exmouth, left site at 8.30am. Passed over the Tropic of Capricorn.
We saw big ant hills
in the scrub next to the road, scenery is a lot of nothing.
Stopped at Coral Bay and went into the visitor centre to ring Parks Office in Exmouth, they can only take bookings for 5 of the sites so if we get to office we can book one, you only get 90mins to get to site. Coral Bay is just a big caravan pk, nothing else, perfect family holiday centre, but very expensive diesel $1.83ltr. Arrived at Exmouth at just after 11.30 found DEC office and managed to get the last available pitch at Osprey Campground. One of the farthest from town at 78kms. Absolutely lovely,
only problem a bit gusty, a fellow camper helped us with tent. Ken the caretaker came and introduced himself and when we are ready to go and pay him. Had a walk and paddle, warm clear water, then off to pay only to find out our pitch has been booked online from tomorrow, so Ken's wife (who has rellies in Kettering) will find out first thing in morning what is available, also we were charged at concession rates (old peoples) of only $10 per night. Sat out watching the sun go down and the wind has died down. There are quite a few Kangaroos hopping through the campground. Our neighbours Lydia(Canadian) and Urs(Swiss) came over to join us for the evening, he is a pharmacist and is in University of Perth doing research andconsultancy for a few months, they were telling us about backpacking through South America for 8 months. Good evening. Just as we were goint to bed we heard some scrabbling sounds, it turned out to be a yellow crab that had got stuck round our table leg and could'nt get away, moved table and it scuttled away to freedom(if we'd been proper Ozzies it would have been in the pot).
27th April Friday
FRIDAY FACT;- THERE ARE MORE WILD CAMELS IN OZ THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
Went to see Margaret and Ken (caretakers) about site for next 4 nights, after checking with office we have to move from site 1 to site 6. We put everything in LRover and with the aid of a fellow camper we carried the erect tent (with airbed inside)the 100mtrs to new pitch. Had a chat with Lydia and Urs before they left and whilst chatting saw a small hawk and a blue fairy wren, beautiful, and as usual no camera. After putting tent back together went to pay Margaret and then off for a swim, the sea is so warm and a bit boisterous at times but now feel clean and cooled down. Sat having a cuppa and a Disco drove in with an Oztent on the roof.
Feel really clean now, had a shower. After dinner watched the sunset and got photos of people on the dunes
backdropped against it. Temp has been 35degs today.
No comments:
Post a Comment