Broome time

We had a good night's sleep and woke feeling ready to tackle the day and all it might throw at us.  Had time for coffee and breakfast before we headed into Broome and back to the auto electrician.  Larry's diagnosis was proved correct - one of the batteries had died and taken the other with it in a murder/suicide kind of arrangement so there was nothing for it but to buy two new (and being Larry, why not got slightly bigger) batteries and while we're at a DC charger to go with it.  A big hit to the wallet but the caravan park is full of stories of people's misadventures and things going wrong and costing big bucks so we are possibly luckier than some (even though we don't feel too lucky having problems so early in our trip).

Headed back into the town centre and a trip to the bank to retrieve Larry's credit card (which Westpac had nicely sent up from Perth) then headed off to Bunnings for some bits and pieces to help connect up the new batteries.  Didn't quite make it there straight away though as Jenny craftily directed Larry right past Matsoe's brewery so that Larry thought he had the good idea of any early lunch and a mango beer or two.  Jenny, being the amiable sort she is, readily agreed!!

Feeling thoroughly sated, and a bit more like actually being on holiday instead of some endurance test, we did our trip to Bunnings, then a camping store and then to Woolies for some last minute supplies.  Headed back to the campsite so Larry could wire up the new batteries and as Jenny didn't feel like standing around like some useless nursing assistant waiting for Larry to shout 'scalpel!', she took herself off to the pool and gossiped with the grey nomads swapping travel routes and caravan disaster stories.

Larry eventually got the batteries connected and then it was time to head back into town and to the airport to collect Ben.  Now that the battery situation is resolved and Ben safely arrived, we can start to relax and enjoy our holiday.  We headed straight down to the Town Beach markets and strolled around the stalls selling lots of Asian food and mango icecreams/smoothies etc.  Had a lovely, relaxed meal catching up with Ben and listening to the guitar players sitting on the grass on a balmy Broome evening.  Now this is more like it.  Broome time has worked its magic.

Running On Empty

Dawn on Wednesday revealed that there were lots of other caravans and campers parked up at De Grey campsite last night and that we were parked up in a whole space of nothing much except dry cow pats.  Dawn also revealed that we had a problem with our caravan batteries and/or charger which were decharging (new Jenny word) like crazy even with nothing running.  We'd first suspected a problem last night when the batteries were depleted even though they'd been fully charged in Newman that morning and Larry spent a good couple of hours problem solving to try and work out what the issue was.  We packed up and drove to Pardoo Roadhouse hoping the batteries would start to charge but no such luck so Larry did some modifications to connections and we headed on to Sandfire Roadhouse.  Sat in a queue of caravans and campers for fuel and then treated ourselves to some hot chips and watched the silver-green butterflies flutter around the sprinklers.  Batteries still not doing what they should so we decided to just head on into Broome and go to an auto electrician.  We cheered ourselves up by listening to one of our talking books - Charlie Pickering's "Impractical Jokes" - very funny and would highly recommend for a road trip - all about the practical jokes his family and family friends played on each other over many years.

Stopped off at Roebuck Plains roadhouse to confirm our campsite booking, then into Broome bypassing all the scenic and touristy things and heading straight for the light industrial area and Fields Auto Electrics.  The caravan batteries were completely dead by now so the guy couldn't do any load testing on them so Larry had a fun time grovelling around in the mud disconnecting them so they can be charged overnight and tested tomorrow morning and we headed back to Roebuck Plains Roadhouse and campground and set up.  Well, that couldn't be all the drama for the day could it?!  Plugged the van into the power and realised nothing but the fridge was connecting and then realised that we probably needed a caravan battery to provide a 12V signal for  the 240V to work.  A few choice words were used but then Larry had the smart idea (so handy having an electrician on board) of using the battery in the car that runs the Waeco using the brand spanking new jumper leads to do the job so eventually we had lights and power.   To top it all off, while this was all happening it got dark and our big Coleman camping lamp (which had also been fully charged in Newman) went on the blink (literally).  By the time everything was sorted we were so tired and, quite frankly, pissed off, that we couldn't even contemplate the idea of preparing our own food and headed to the pub for a restorative beer and a hearty counter meal.  We followed it up with an icecream from the roadhouse before heading back to the van for some downtime before, once again, early to bed.

And they're off.

.

An early start to the day as Jenny was woken up when Larry came through the door at 6am after doing his last night shift.  Grudgingly gave up the warm comfy bed to Larry and got up and had a shower and breakfast.   Played on my tablet for an hour or so waiting it to be the sort of hour when you can go shopping at Woolies.  Just as I was leaving the gardeners decided it would be a good time to blower vac the pathways outside Larry's bedroom - poor Larry trying to sleep through that!  Took the Jeep for a morning tour of Newman and experienced the decadence of a drive through Muzz Buzz.  In Newman!  Guess they do a roaring trade in sleep deprived miners!

Eventually it was time for Woolies to be open so spent a leisurely hour or so (well, I had a whole morning to fill!) perusing the aisles and buying fresh veg , meat, bread and milk for the caravan.   Spent a long time trying to think of something easy for dinner tonight as we will get into camp late and only staying overnight so won't feel like setting up too much.  Eventually settled on salad with squid rings tossed through which I can cook quickly on the stove.

 

Back to the unit and spent time packing the food into the caravan and sorting cupboard space etc.  Back to the unit to read until Larry woke up at 11.30 but by 11am the cleaners were bustling around the unit and Larry gave up trying to sleep and got up.  We had everything packed and the caravan hooked up by midday so said our goodbyes to the cleaners and Newman and headed northwest.  Unforunately we got stuck in a convoy of trucks and mine vehicles and so made slow time to Auski Roadhouse so a late lunch (and a truly forgettable one) about 2.15pm. 

In the car again and Jenny took the wheel for the first time with the new van.  At first it was a bit stressful having four trailer road trains hurtling past in the opposite direction, especially when they were in convoys of up to six at a time but after a while I got the 'feel' of the car and van and could move across the road out of the way of their wind gusts without sending the van into a sway and could relax my grip on the steering wheel a bit!  Did my two hour shift and then was happy to hand the reins over to Larry again, particularly as the sun was low in the sky and in my eyes.

Stopped in the outskirts of Port Hedland for fuel and then the final stretch to De Grey River campsite in the dark.  I was constantly amazed today at just how many cows are wandering around the north west and hanging around on the edge of the road.  I had my eye out for kangaroos jumping across the road at us in the gloom but it was the large, white bulk of a cow on the edge of the headlights that we saw most often and when we pulled up in the campsite it was a case of stepping around the cow pats!

Lots of campers here but very quiet.  I guess they've all had big drives today too.  Early to bed as Larry needs sleep after nightshift last night and not much sleep this morning and I confess to feeling a tad weary myself and we have another long day of driving ahead of us tomorrow.

Jen's first day of hols, Larry's last nightof work

Up early this morning to get the kids off to school, then home to do last minute washing and the all important watching of the last episode of Game of Thrones.  Wow.  Will be hard not to give Larry any spoilers this afternoon!  Luckily it was a sunny, breezy day so was able to get the washing dry and put away by lunchtime so Matt won't have to deal with any laundry but his own.  Final tidy up and a kiss for the cats (both fast asleep on the couch and oblivious to my travel preparations) and off to the airport just after midday.  Arrived with plenty of time to spare so grabbed a magazine and some lunch and just chilled for a while.  Was a bit harsh being out with the plebs - last time I was here I was in the business class lounge!

Larry rang when he woke and to check I was at the airport.  I think he's enjoying the concept of me doing the same trip he does every second week.  Just to continue the 'roughing it' for this airport trip I had to walk outside and across the tarmac to my plane.  Thank goodness it's not raining today!  Counted 4 other women on the plane as it was mostly men in high vis.  Nice mini chicken baguette for afternoon tea.  The big bloke in his high vis next to me literally ate his in 5 seconds and two bites.  I nibbled on mine and made it last a whole 5 minutes!

Before long we were descending into Newman and there was my own high vis boy waiting for me at the gate.  Drove into town and Larry took me up to the lookout for a 'that puff of steam is where I work, that long building is where I sleep' tour of Newman.  Back to his unit to drop off my bag then to early dinner where we met up with Larry's workmates Brad and Jim.  Nice to finally put faces to their names.  The boys headed off to work and I settled on the couch to write this and watch Masterchef before early bed.

Singing in the Rain

Finished Game of Thrones in the warmth of the caravan and went to sleep with the patter of rain and woke the next morning to the patter of rain. Mmmm did the rain stop last night at all I was thinking. Looked outside and the ground was mud and it was cold so closed the door and put the reverse cycle aircon on and had a quick brekky. Got away at about 6am and drive most of the way in rain until roughly 60kms south of Newman when the rain eventually stopped. Got my room key and backed the van into the car park next to my units, connected the power to an outlet outside Jim's door, plugged the car into the van for the Waeco so all good. A few things got wet in the passenger side front boot of the van but that was ok as I had been driving in a lot of rain and it looked some of it had found its way through the hatch seal. Now working for the week until Jen arrives next Monday afternoon.

Did a lot of singing out loud to keep myself amused during the drive:)

Larry's big drive

Well after months of preparation, getting both car and caravan ready for the rough roads of the Northwest, the first stage of the trip begins.  Larry and the rig depart for Newman about 7.30am on a wet, cold Perth morning.  A steady but slow drive to Cue and pretty much raining all the way.   The wet weather didn't help with fuel efficiency but slow and steady does it and Larry is now safely ensconced in the Cue caravan park watching GoT on his tablet.