Let’s get this party started!

 

Sunday 23 May 2021 – Let’s get this party started!

Having sent Larry and van ahead to Newman at the beginning of the week

Jen stayed in Perth for a few more days of work, dentist, haircut and last minute trip planning.  Thankfully we had packed the van pretty well so I didn’t have to do a emergency visit to Hendrik and Miranda’s with any forgotten items needing to be transported in their van.  Just a couple of cables etc which easily fitted in my overnight backpack.

A leisurely start to the morning – surprisingly I didn’t wake at the crack of dawn – and Ben drove me to the airport mid morning with Kate and Jordan coming as part of the farewell party (but really so they could go to Costco afterwards!)

The plane left on time and I had a window seat and a whole row to myself which was nice.  Covid has resulted in having to wear a mask in the airport and on the plane but a canny traveller I know (ie Larry, who does this trip every week) suggested that if you get two drinks and slowly eat your food on the plane you can manage most of the 1 hour 20 minute trip maskless. 

It had been cloudy, cool and rainy when I left Perth but I left the cloud behind about 15 minutes south of Newman and landed in warm and sunny conditions.  Larry was at the airport to pick me up and we headed back to his unit via a few of the highlights of Newman and a drive-by of Phil’s house to check the van was okay.

Larry then headed back to work and Jen spent the afternoon in Larry’s unit completing the puzzles in the magazine bought at the airport and keeping track of the Eagles game.  Having discovered their loss to GWS I was disinclined to watch it on the delayed GWN telecast and watched ‘Restoration Australia’ instead.

Larry was back around 6ish and we jumped in the car to grab the sleeping bag out of the van and then to the Purple Pub’s mess for a quick dinner.  Larry’s workmates tend to congregate in the courtyard back at the units for a couple of beers and a chat or watching the footy after work so we headed back there and joined in.  At  first the lads just had some beer and spicy hot jerky on the table but perhaps my presence encouraged them to up their game as they all disappeared back to their units and returned with cheese, crackers, spicy sausage and olives so that we eventually had an enviable  charcuterie board happening!  A very pleasant and balmy evening but short and sweet and all the boys headed back to their rooms about 8.30am as they have an early start in the morning.