Experimental Washing Day

 

Friday 28 May 2021 – Experimental Washing Day

We both had terrible sleeps last night – my mistake was having a hot drink after dinner and hence it was up and down a few times to the toilet, Larry’s probably was the windy conditions bringing on hay fever symptoms.  It was also quite hot and stuffy in the van as the day had been sunnier and the MDC seems to retain the day’s heat for quite a long time.  Our Sirrocco fans are certainly getting a workout!

After Vitamin C drinks and toast for breakfast we packed up the van which took a fair while as a three night stay had meant we had unpacked most things including floor mats, table and chairs etc.  We were on the road by about 9ish and followed a convoy of cars and caravans leaving about the same time up to Sandfire Road House to refuel.  Tut tutted a couple who fuelled up and then both wandered in to the roadhouse together before finally heading back to their car and caravan at a leisurely stroll clutching their roadhouse fare even though there was a large line of cars/vans waiting to refuel at their bowser.  For those newbies out there, the etiquette is to fuel up, send one person into pay and then move your car/van out of the way of the bowser for the next person THEN go in to do a leisurely perusal of the bain marie.  Also had to roll my eyes at a Boomer who burst through the door of the roadhouse and shouted “Number 4 thanks love!” at the lady behind the till blithely ignoring the queue of people waiting to pay for their fuel.  Fortunately she was made of hard bitten country stuff and firmly (but more politely than he deserved) put him in his place.

A couple of hours drive north in a convoy of vans with an equal number going past heading south with the only excitement being two large overwidth trucks to negotiate.  Fortunately there are a number of floodways in these parts where the road widens enough for caravans to get past these big loads.  Heading across Roebuck Plains it was easy to see that there had been a good wet and the flood plains had actually been just that with a lot of green pasture and a lot of robust looking cows “heads down bums up” turning cow into beef.

Arrived at Roebuck Plains Road House about 1ish and after setting up decided to stay put for a while rather than heading into Broome as Larry was still feeling a bit average and it was very pleasant sitting in our grassed shady spot out of the 33 degree heat.  So we had a leisurely lunch and then dealt with our experimental washing load.  We had found a collapsible rectangular bucket with lid that was the perfect size for the kitchen sick so, before leaving 80 Mile Beach, we had filled it with a small load of washing, detergent and enough water to cover the clothes, and ‘swooshed’ them for 3 hours in the van to see if it’s a way to keep on top of washing our smalls whilst on the Gibb.  It seemed to have worked but they still needed rinsing so, in the end, it was easier just to throw them and the rest of the things that needed washing such as towels and tea towels, into a washing machine in the caravan park.

Sat and chilled in the shade until the washing was done and hung out then thought we would pop along the road to The Mango Place where we had been to last time with Kate hoping for a mango smoothie for afternoon tea and maybe purchasing some mango chutney again.  To our dismay it was no longer there which is surprising as I had thought it was very popular and successful.  We decided we may as well continue on into Broome.  On the way I told L to Google a new distillery I had heard of that has opened in Broome that do a couple of gins so we headed there as it was in the new industrial area on the outskirts of Broome.  So we didn’t quite get into Broome proper and, much like our first trip in 2016 when we had to head straight to an industrial area to buy batteries , this time it was straight to an industrial area to buy gin (so obviously more enjoyable and a heck of a lot cheaper).

Although not in the most salubrious of surrounds, the Moontide Distillery was sparkling new and as a young boutique business (10 months young) it only does two gins, an aniseed spirit and a bitters.  All have a distinct ‘Broome’ tilt to them with the use of lots of native botanicals and use of mango, pineapple and coconut.  We had a try of all four of them neat then bought a tasting paddle consisting of the White Pearl Gin, served with tonic, grapefruit, lime; the Black Pearl Aniseed Spirit served with lemonade and garnished with lemon and star anise; and a lemon, lime and bitters with the Roebuck Bay bitters, lime cordial and lemonade garnished with lime and mint.  All served with loads and ice and all delicious and so refreshing on a hot day.  To our surprise our favourite was the aniseed spirit but we also really liked the gin and the bitters and luckily they had a gift pack of all three in convenient, caravan-sized bottles so we are set for the next few weeks.  If we get through those out on the GRR I hear the distillery in Kununurra now does a gin as well....

We took a lot longer at Moontide than expected so we headed back to Roebuck Plains RH just after 4pm.  Even then the shadows were getting long and we had to remind ourselves that we are already a lot further east than Perth and the sun sets much earlier than we are used to.  Still there was time to get back, get in the washing and have a swim (or foot paddle mostly) in the still freezing CP pool and then have showers before it got completely dark.

Headed over the Road House tavern for our standard fare when we stay here – juicy steaks with creamy garlic sauce, chips and an enormous salad with a whole boiled egg.  We got there right at the start of food service and were glad we did as the place was heaving – far busier than other times we have stayed here – probably a mixture of all the Covid campers plus, it being a Friday night, quite a few locals as well.  A huge queue formed to order dinner shortly after we ordered so that was well timed.  We had to share a table but no biggie as they were like minded travellers and so it is easy to pass the time telling caravan stories.  A very pleasant evening even though we both watched another footy tip go down the drain with Melbourne flogging the Bulldogs.

Back to the van for a spot of blogging and for Larry to sort out Luke with our footy tickets for tomorrow night.