and we’re off.......

This will be a short blog to record our trip to Exmouth and back. We’re planning on three weeks but as this is our first long camping trip, we’ll play it by ear.

We had to delay our trip several times because we sold two properties - yeah! One was one the market for 5 months and the other only 2 weeks, but they sold within a month of each other. So once all the paperwork was finalised, we were free to hit the road.

Yodie was packed off to catty prison again, apparently she was most unhappy, as she hasn’t been there since March and it was a bit off a surprise.

We now have a LOT of camping gear, having steadily increased our collection over the past year. We have a fabulous fridge, to keep the beer cold, a double stretcher for our double mattress, kettle and, toaster, an electric frypan. Our little camp site is like home away from home (minus Yodie).

We left Perth at 4 am so the drive up the freeway was like a hot knife through butter. It was a great drive, although we did see quite a few kangaroos as the sun came up and Richie had to swerve to avoid one. Funny how they wait until you are right on top of them and then jump out - suicidal kangaroos!

The wild flowers were still blooming, although I couldn’t get a decent photo without stopping, hopefully we will see more when we visit the gorges in Kalbarri.

We stopped in Jurien Bay for a quick coffee and sandwich and made it to Kalbarri by 11.30.

We’re staying at the Murchison caravan park this time. It’s across the road from the river and the views are lovely, the sites are also bigger than the Tudor CP, although we don’t think the facilities are as good.  It took us about two hours to completely set up everything. Hopefully we will get a bit quicker as time goes on.. it’s a very  peaceful spot, apart from the young kiddies behind us who are making lots of noise (at 7am) but what can you do....

Cooking dinner in my fabulous camping dress.....

We were a bit too tired to cook so we went to the Gilgai Tavern for dinner (at 5pm).. We did manage to snag happy hour but they only serve dinner from 6 pm to 8 pm (you’re in the country now Dorothy) so we had a few pre dinner beverages. We met and eventually had dinner with a very sweet old pommy couple, Doreen and Peter, who had taken the bus up from Perth. Food was good, albeit expensive (see note re: being in the country).

We walked home from the pub and saw a very confused Chinese family, probably looking for an open restaurant.. all in all, a very pleasant first day.