The Big Smoke

 Sunday 4 July 2021 – The Big Smoke

Packed up this morning and on the road sometime between 8 and 8.30am as per usual.  We got to the railway crossing just before the turn off we took yesterday to Python Pool just in time as we could see a train in the distance coming towards us.  So we pulled over to the edge of the road and took photos as it came past us and Larry took the opportunity to quickly check his tyre pressures and put a bit more air in now we will be on bitumen for the next couple of days.  The trains seem to move slowly until they get close and then you can see they actually travel at a reasonable speed – no wonder that driver that somehow lost his train recently couldn’t catch it when it took off without him!

The Federal (and State?) government have spent a fair amount of money on this road and it was a lovely smooth and easy ride into Karratha and interesting seeing different railway lines criss crossing the countryside as every company seems to have its own – no sharing!  We made Karratha in good time and thought we would try our luck checking into the caravan park at 10am.  H&M were luckier as their site had already been vacated but we had to wait around another half hour as there was a couple with a camper trailer, tiny baby and a dog that needed to go wees  on our site.  When they finally drove out we saw that the camper trailer was very shiny and new so they must still be learning how to pack it up and be out of a caravan park by the required 10am checkout. 

The delay meant that Miranda had nearly finished her two loads of washing by the time we were ready to do ours so I just took over those two machines and we continued on with our set up.  We had ensuite sites booked but obviously they hadn’t been cleaned yet but they didn’t have a problem with us setting the vans up and connecting power etc.  It was a sunny day in Karratha but with a strong breeze blowing so we didn’t bother putting the awning out and figured we would put the air conditioner on later if the van had got too hot.  With the washing soon hanging out and looking like it wouldn’t take too long to dry we decided to go off and have lunch somewhere until it did.  We could tell from various TV’s and radios around the park and from texts from Kate that the Eagles were getting thumped by Sydney so Larry decided he needed to drown his sorrows at the Tambrey pub.

So we went there in the Disco and sat with our backs to the big flat screens which were showing the Eagles being behind by about 80 points and had a yummy steak sandwich while the others all had the parmi special.  H&M then took us on a nostalgic trip around their old haunts from when they lived here twenty years ago.  They were a bit sad to see that their nice, neat company house is now in a less than salubrious part of Karratha and obviously not company housing any more.  There are actually some very nice ‘burbs’ in Karratha now and it is interesting to note that the houses are designed with higher than normal carports to fit the requisite boat and/or caravan and that the street verges are also designed wide to allow for parking of the other toy that doesn’t fit in the carport!

Back to the vans to deal with the washing and then we had a little sit down and got up to speed with what’s going on in the world as we haven’t had internet since Marble Bar.  Spoke to the kids and made sure they are all okay and that Ben has survived being in the firing line of obnoxious people at Farmer Jack’s who either refuse to wear a mask or else can’t have as much toilet paper as they think they need during a  four day lock-down.  Restrictions have been lifted so that is good news and hopefully masks aren’t needed by the time I have to go back to work next week (next week???!!!!)

L&J eventually decided to get the grocery shop over and done with and headed off to Woolies.  We met the first of the mask-wearing Perth evacuees in the shopping centre.  They have made good time to get to Karratha already and it was good to see they were obeying the rules and wearing their masks.  We still gave them a wide berth though!

We stocked up with what looks enough food for the next two weeks (which may not be a bad thing as I doubt there will be much food in the fridge when we got home) and then bought some more grog and fuel on the way back to the CP.  After a final game of caravan tetris (although not so hard this time as less food and H&M have finally got their van fridge working again so we no longer have to store their food as well as our own) it was time to take advantage of our nice, clean ensuite.  It was just lovely to have a hot shower longer than 30 seconds and to have one long enough to have lovely clean hair, a clean face, clean feet and shaved bits and pieces.  Bliss!

H&M had had their showers earlier and headed off for a drive up to Dampier etc.  We had left it a bit late so instead just drove to Hearsons Cove and the Burrup Peninsula for the sunset.  After seeing a week’s worth of natural made beauty the man-made industrial constructions were a complete contrast and a bit of a shock to the system.  We went up to the visitor centre car park and took a video to capture the sound of all the roaring machines so different from the sound of wind in trees and birds twittering that has been our more recent backdrop.

Drove slowly back to town and to the Karratha International Hotel which H&M remembered as being a nice place to eat.  It still is and, although fairly quiet on a Sunday evening, does a nice line in Italian themed food.  I had a very nice fennel infused bacon carbonara and Larry had pizza and we all shared a bottle of Prosecco to wash down our meals.  Very pleasant and just so nice to have a night off from any of us having to cook and wash up.

Back to the vans to digest and it was another late night as more internet was used and Tour de France watched.  Ben O’Connor who is a West Australian won the stage