BROOME

Boogie Boarding at Cable Beach

Beth loving the waves

Bridgie the Surfer Chick (notice the insignia on the Boogie Board in the background)

Tess and her picture of the camels in the sand

Ben at the beach!

The boys cooking the BBQ on the beach!

The man had his Prado, his beer, his BBQ, the beach and his babe - in that order!

 The Pattersons and the Hansens at our beach camp!

How many beach cricket games get interrupted by a camel train??

Swimming at sunset

DAY 50 – BROOME                                                                                          Sunday, 21^st August

David slept in this morning until 6:40am!!  Unheard of on this holiday!!  Must be the good Broome air! 

Pancakes for breakfast this morning  before heading in to the Courthouse Markets in the town.  The kids all got a Henna tattoo, which they loved.  Bridget, a flower on her ankle; Ben a crocodile on his arm; Tess, a dragon on her arm; and Beth a flower on her arm.  They were very excited.  And Mummy scored a pearl ring!!!  Even more exciting!  Huge amounts of beautiful jewellery. 

After some rather tedious grocery shopping (including finally an esky for our milk – and ice at $6.30!!) we came home, had lunch and then prepared for an afternoon on the most magical of beaches.  David marinated some prawns as a special “welcome to Broome” feature, and he packed cheeses and wine, and the BBQ and snags and chairs and tables and newspapers and …. We might as well have hooked up the caravan!!

We drove down onto the beach (where poor Beth was traumatised as part of the beach is a nudist beach!!) and set up our Prado.  The kids (and the biggest kid, David) surfed on the boogie boards for about 2 hours!  The waves are just perfect for our kids.  The Queenslander in me was appalled, however, when Bridgie said “Oh, Mum look at these enormous waves”!  The “waves” did not come over my waist!!!  My poor children have grown up with Victorian beaches!!!

I cannot adequately explain how beautiful the beach is – and to see my husband turn to me with a huge grin and say “This is paradise” was so lovely.  The camel trains start at about 4pm and the silhouette of the camels in front of the sun setting over the water is just absolutely beautiful. 

We met up with Kevin and Alanna and sat there eating cheeses, drinking wines, while the boys cooked the prawns and the snags, and watched the kids play beach cricket.  I cannot describe the feeling of contentment!  It really is just the most magical place.  It does not surprise me that so many “oldies” come up here for up to 5 months of the year.   The caravan park is absolutely full of “grey nomads”, some of whom look upon you as a bit of an intruder into their quiet lifestyle.  There are not many families here, although we have met quite a few travelling.  Most of the people in Broome are here for the duration – half their luck!!

There must have been 200 vehicles on the beach last night but it doesn’t appear crowded.  The beach is just so vast.  I must admit it was great not having to trek for ages with boogie boards, towels, eskies etc!!    Kevin was speaking to someone who came here about 15 years ago, camped on the beach for two weeks and was disturbed by no-one!  You certainly could not do that now!

When it got dark and we could no longer see the kids in the water (!!!!) we decided it was time to head home for showers and bed.  We were woken at about 10:30pm with a car accident on the road outside the caravan park.  Someone having too good a night at the Diver’s Tavern down the road!!  It is a really happening spot – The Whitlams and Diesel are playing there next week!  Anyone want to come and babysit for us?????