800 K. In one day!!

This morning we farewell Broome, the city and all the wonderful people we met. Tania, Peter and your boys, we so enjoyed our time spent together. Impromptu cricket game on the beach, fishing on the shoreline and many hours chatting in the pool and watching the kids play. Here's hoping our paths cross once more. As we drive out of Broome one last photo of the many bouganvillia's that line the streets of Broome. Big haul ahead of us as we travel towards Karratha in order to meet up with PAPA!!!! The plan is for an overnight stop at 80 Mile Beach.

We make an early start, and all of us are in the mood for driving. The excitement is brewing as we realize Papa will be here so soon.  

This masterpiece and its many modifications kept Private Benjamin occupied for hours!!!! 

Robbie and Linda were kept entertained by the E.C.S ( ever changing scenery ).  Robbie  has been ever so excited at the prospect of fishing at 80 Mile Beach. We had already stolen some of 80 Miles time by staying a little longer in Broome. As we draw closer to the potential turn offs, with the wind blowing pretty strong outside, and all of us travelling really well,  Rob makes a very big call to leave 80 mile beach for another day. ....... 

This moment resulted in the 'camel face' as unkindly described by the kids. Robbie had his fishing dreams dashed at the last moment, at least it was his call and not Linda's!!! We have to be honest and admit that this is a rerun of the 'camel face', as Linda was laughing so hard she could not hold the camera still enough in order to capture the original moment.

Another incredible wild flower on the side of the road. Discovered at an obligatory pee stop.

Another wee stop. Time for a refuel and a stretch of the legs. Pardoo Roadhouse is apparently well known for its famous sausage rolls. Little did we know that the reason for its notoriety was the price not the taste or its size. $6.95 for a bite sized sausage roll!!!! At least they did not charge us extra for the sauce...although the checkout chick did admit to charging extra to those she did not like!!! 

The decision is now made to see if we can make it to Point Samson, thus reducing the travel time in the morning to get Papa, and allowing us to be all settled when he arrives. Onwards we travel.

As we get closer to Port Hedland we hit a pocket of telephone reception and make contact with some travelling friends. Lucky for us, they are also in Point Samson, so now we have a fixed destination. This is particularly handy as dusk is drawing near. In our favour, the sun is starting to set later the further west we travel, giving us a little more safe travelling time.

Though one must always be extremely wary of wandering stock and wild animals, we also now have to look out for....

...... BLASTS!!!! We are officially in mining country. This photo was also not taken at the original moment due to laughter.  Rob was eventually able to find a safe spot to perform a u-turn, not such an easy task with a caravan . As you will all agree, this is a photo worth having.

E.C.S. We all agreed this could be the West's version of the Devils Marbles.

It is here we notice a new phenomena. Large termite mounds with hard hats on!!! Sorry, due to laughter no usable photo exists.

E.C.S

E.C.S

E.C.S

Ditto.

More ditto!

After 8 weeks on the road, Linda discovers the landscape format function on the camera.

At Roebourne, we turn off to Point Samson, almost there.........

This is not a Gingerbread house, but rather the Old Gaol at Roebourne.

We arrive at the Cove Caravan Park, in Point Samson, at 6.30pm. 10 hours and 800 kms later. We arrived after closing  and had not phoned ahead. After contacting management by the emergency number, and after lots of apologies we were given a site. The kids were incredible in the car, although we will admit as soon as their feet touched the ground they morphed into monsters. We did do our best to ignore and pacify them. As a result, set up was speedy, dinner was hardly touched by the monsters and bed could not come soon enough. Having arrived in darkness we were unaware of our surroundings.   

How suprised were we, after Rob, waking at dawn for a toilet visit, snapped these beautiful pictures from outside our caravan.

We rise with high excitement this morning, for the arrival of Papa. Welcome signs and banners get created and new sleeping arrangements organised. He will be arriving into Karratha airport, 70 kms from Point Samson. A few anxious moments as we are updated with the Qantas strikes. All cheers when Nanny calls to let us know his plane has left Melbourne. He left at 8.30am, and the strike commenced at 9am!