Adelaide to The Farm (Merrigum) via Mt Gambier, Warrnambool, Skenes Creek and Daylesford - 6th January ~ 19th January 2011

The drive south to Mount Gambier from Adelaide saw us stumble across some beautiful places we must come back and stay sometime soon. The coastal towns of Robe and Beachport were much like our choice for retirement, Kiama.

On arrival into Mt Gambier we were blown away with the beauty of Blue Lake. A lake that is the most amazing shade of blue from November to March each year. No set reason for why (although many theories) - we thought perhaps the location of the lake in a volcanic crater - but this theory was given the thumbs down when we did a tour of the lake to the surface. Although the water is so blue it is so clear that you can see quite deep into it. Our time in Mt Gambier also saw us visit the sunken garden of Umpherston Sink Hole - a garden set in a large hole left when the roof of a cave fell in. The magnificent hydrangea flowers were a sea of colour with assorted greenery set amongst the blooms. A chilly picnic lunch in Port MacDonnell and some rain saw us limit our time in the area and a short visit to the most southern part of South Australia.

A day trip to Penola (minus Peter) saw us visit the home of Saint Mary of the Cross (MacKillop). Here we spent time exploring the church and a mock classroom set up in the original manner of the first Sister of St Josephs classroom. The slingshot by the nun's desk shows just how much discipline in education has changed. Imagine if we did this nowadays!!!! The remnants and icons from the original era of Mary MacKillop's life were so interesting the see. While in Penola we took the kids to 'Funtasia" - one man's creative flair with model railways, water and a fantasy wonderland of every theme imaginable. The Treasure Hunt Balunn was set by Graham was quite difficult and we all had fun looking for the different characters hidden within the display.

From Mt Gambier we headed to The Great Ocean Road where we began to encounter the heavy rains which would soon wreak havoc across parts of Victoria. We stayed at Hopkins River Caravan Park (just out of Warrnambool) - an ideal place for children with tennis, a games room, indoor heated pool and spa, great roads for scooters and mini golf. It was such a pity that it rained so much and none of us got to enjoy these facilities. On the one fine day we did have we spent as much time touring The Great Ocean Road as possible. We visited The 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, The Arch and The Grotto. Although beautiful sites to see, Peter and I were still disappointed on the route of The Great Ocean Road as it mostly away from the water. Once back in town, we had to take Zali to the doctor after she got an infection in her finger from a cut a few weeks back. It looked horrid and spread to her nose. Thankfully after some antibiotics and cream she is looking much better. We then met up with Nanny, Poppy and Balunn for a swim in Stingray Bay.

Our next stop would have to be the worst place we have stayed during our trip. With The Great Ocean Road shut from Skenes Creek (5km east of Apollo Bay) to Lorne, we booked into Skenes Creek Caravan Park. It wasn't only the torrential rain which made the stay so bad, it was the most expensive place we have stayed at and it had zero facilities. The 4 showers and 6 toilets it had to cater for all guests were disgusting. I refused to use them and didn't expect the others to either so it was time for the portaloo to come back out and for a quick sponge bath for the one night we were there. The location, in good weather, may have been ideal, but I could have been in a developing country with the state of the 'facilities'. An afternoon of boardgames with the kids was LOTS of fun - who knew the game of Trouble could get so nasty!! A nice dinner out in Apollo Bay and the fast flowing waterfall spotted by Balunn on the way in was the saving grace for this night.....

With road closures still along The Great Ocean Road and many on the route we were taking to Daylesford, the trip to inland Victoria was wet and slow. Water all over the road, fallen trees, mini rock and mud falls and cars that did not drive to the conditions saw us really taking our time. Daylesford and the surrounding area had encountered extreme rain before our arrival with towns less than 30km away evacuated due to the floods. Our park was a little wet, but in a beautiful lake side location and close to town. Daylesford is known as spa country and the health and spa resorts in and around the town were plentiful. An area to come back and enjoy with the girls...... While in Daylesford, we visited The Blowhole - a tunnel from the mining era of the 1850s dug out to release water while gold mining. The pressure of the water coming through the hole created a loud, ferocious and devastating torrent. We were all fascinated by the volume and speed of the water. Words don't describe the power of the blowhole, so I have included two videos below for you all to see. Enjoy......

Video 1 - The Blowhole

Video 2 - The kids loving the chance to get wet!!!

We had a great afternoon at the local chocolate factory where we listened to and watched the story and methods of Belgian chocolate. After some purchases of some of the best chocolate we have ever eaten, we sat at the cafe and enjoyed ice cream with melted Belgian chocolate - personal choice of ice cream flavour and chocolate style.... delicious!!! To burn off all the fat, we spent the afternoon by Lake Jubilee swimming and canoeing. Great times!!!

From here it was onto the Hogan farm for a catch up with the cousins. Lots of rain had left roads we needed blocked so we had to go the long way round. Driving into the farm in Merrigum it was amazing to see such a difference in the 12 months since we last visited - now lush, green paddocks full of great feed for the cows. Our time based at the farm saw us visit Tony at International Dairy Week in Tatura, a picnic by the lake in Shepparton, a visit to Luke, Briony and the kids for a play, a day trip to Echuca to see the flooded Campaspe River and the Murray at its highest level since 1993, Pete and I enjoyed a beautiful lunch at Oscar W's for our 8th Wedding Anniverary and a great family catch up over each day with various cousins (we also got to meet the newest cousin, baby Aden).

We depart in the morning for what will be Day 191 of our adventure.... how quickly the time has gone xoxoxox

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - Streaky Bay, Port Lincoln and Adelaide ~ 21st December - 6th January

What a beautiful location we chose to celebrate Christmas!! A caravan spot 2m from the shore of the magnificent bay and great friends we had met along the way to share our Christmas away from home.

The lead up to Christmas was very exciting with great fun decorating the van with lights and tinsel, as well as putting together our little Christmas Tree and Santa sacks inside. Our Advent calendar had been on the go for all of December (need an incentive like this all year long!!) and adding to it with a bigger variety of decorations was very exciting!!! It was even better when presents started arriving under the tree!!

A small mishap while out 'crabbing' with the other children we were set up with saw an emergency trip to Streaky Bay District Hospital as Zali badly cut her foot on a Razor Fish. We had never heard of such a fish, but after a 'google' search we could understand why Zali was so hysterical. The 4cm cut was deep and should have been stitched, but the Doctor was too concerned about further trauma to the poor chook - who was inconsolable during the syringe washing of the cut to inflict any more pain. With Zali being a drama queen, I am sure you can imagine the sympathy she milked from all for the coming days!!

A visit to the park from Santa was very exciting and created a real positive mood for the impending arrival of the 'real' big man in red!! There were so many other families enjoying a Christmas away from home and there is a lot to be said for the relaxed atmosphere it is..... 4 years worth of warning to both families we would miss the Christmas celebrations of 2010, perhaps not as much warning next time and we might just take off unannounced (it really was such an easy Christmas!!).

Christmas Day saw both kids casually rise at around 9am. Both very excited that Santa had been and left some great presents and even more excited that he had left a note thanking them for cookies and milk they left out. Pancakes for breakfast and a visit from Thalia and David to share the Christmas cheer was a fabulous start to the day. From here, we joined the Bragas, Callum and Santos families - 8 adults and 10 children - each providing our own feast and enjoying each others' company under the shade of a marquee by the waters edge. The adults sat, ate, drank and chatted while the kids rode their scooters, played with Lego and train sets, did their make up and watched a DVD. Before we knew it the clock had already reached 8.30 and most of the exhausted children headed for showers and bed. A highlight for us all was being able to Skype home. Zali could see the bike Santa had delivered to Nanny's house (and can't wait to get home and ride it!!) and we all enjoyed chatting during the day and feeling a part of the celebrations as we saw the unwrapping of the presents, the table set in red and white and all the food Nanny and her helpers had prepared. Of course, we also chatted to the Helsloot side, but by this time Zali was too entrenched in socialising with all her friends. Poor Jaydon didn't even get a Merry Christmas from his big cousin.

Besides Christmas, we also managed to get some site seeing done during our stay. We saw.....

* Sea Lion Colony - a short distance from Streaky Bay where a breeding Sea Lion Colony has been established to increase numbers. Luckily, we got to see some lazying in the sun, others moving around in the sand and a few swimming together in the water.

* Great White Shark replica - located in the tourist centre is a replica of a Great White Shark caught off the bay in 1995 by a 24kg fishing line. It weighed 1520kg!!

* Granites Beach and High Cliff - difficult to find and even more difficult to access, but Pete and Balunn braved the walk down and spent a morning swimming and enjoying this spectacular section of the coast.

* Cape Bauer Loop - amazing cliffs and blowholes. Peter toured this area with Luis, while Tanya and I got ready for Christmas lunch. The photos were great!

* Murphy's Haystack - a collection of rock formations which look like large haystacks in the middle of a wheat field.

From Streaky Bay we made our way around to Port Lincoln - home of the Southern Bluefin Tuna and Makybe Diva. An afternoon trip on a tour boat out to a tuna platform gave us the opportunity to feed and swim with the tuna. This really was a scary experience and Peter was the only one who managed to do both. The tuna grow to about 200kg and are one of the fastest fish in the sea. 95% of the tuna caught out of Port Lincoln is shipped overseas. This town also has the most millionaires per capita within Australia - all making their money in the tuna industry!!

While in Port Lincoln we made a day trip to Coffin Bay followed by a superb dinner at Del Giorno's. Probably one of our best meals out on the trip. Coffin Bay was a quiet, pretty and relaxed town, well worth another visit.

On our way to Adelaide we made an overnight stay at Port Augusta - 40 degrees, so our time was spent in the pool and trying to keep cool. We were last here 159 days ago with Ella in tow.

The into Adelaide where we would be for a week to welcome in the New Year. Here we were joined by Jen (for a flying 4 night visit) and most importantly, according to Zali, by nanny and poppy for the remainder of our trip. Although Zali had spoken to nanny nearly every day we have been away and has 'seen' her on Skype regularly, there was still so much excitement that she was here in person - truly lovely to watch!!

The weather in Adelaide was particularly hot, so lucky we had a 60m swimming pool to enjoy. Our caravans were set up next to each other and this allowed the kids to be in and out visiting all day long....

New Years Eve saw us venture to Glenelg foreshore for a seafood picnic and to watch the family fireworks at 9.30pm. What a spectacular show they were!! We all loved them, but Zali is petrified of fireworks and spent the whole time under a blanket and wrapped snuggly in my arms. A trait picked up here from Aunty Trina, but hopefully she will outgrow this fear by the time she is 12......

Other adventures around Adelaide include:

* a day trip to the city to attend mass at St Francis Xavier Cathedral (presided over by Archbishop Philip Wilson, who was previously Bishop of Wollongong), a walk down to the Torrens River for a picnic lunch and then a paddle on the boats, a tram ride back to the car for some of us to drive home, while nanny and poppy took the kids on the bus (with much excitement).

* a visit to mum and Jen's cousin from Albion Park (have been based in SA for the past 50 years) - Don and Anne King. Apparently I had met them when I was very young (no memory of this) and it was great to share family memories and stories with them during one afternoon and then a bbq lunch. Some of the old photos were hilarious to see!!

* lunch and wine tasting in the McLaren Vale wine region. A large wine region, but we only visited the Woodstock winery and we bought some dessert wine - yummy! A great place for kids to enjoy while the adults tasted!! From here, we made the trip down to Victor Harbour, but it was very cold and very busy. We had a quick look around and then made our way back to Adelaide.

* Pete and I attended a domestic Twenty20 Match between NSW and SA at Adelaide oval. Quick and entertaining - as cricket should be - and much more impressive than the Ashes!!

Now we move onto our last destination in SA - Mt Gambier - and then onto part of the Great Ocean Road, before heading to rural Victoria to visit the family.

Hoping you all had a great Christmas and New Year like we did and looking forward to seeing everyone on our return - Jamberoo on the 20th January and Sydney on the 22nd...... 11 days left :)

Love to all,

The Travelling Helsloots

Busselton to Ceduna via Albany, Esperance and The Nullarbor - 9th December ~ 19th December 2010

As we approached the bottom of WA we knew our time in this most beautiful state was sadly coming to an end.... over 4 months exploring WA from top to bottom and there is still so much we haven't seen. Zali has asked if we could please come back next year to see more.... mmm, perhaps not with a 5 week trip to Europe planned and booked for May/June.

Our last 9 days in WA saw us visit:

Albany - home of the Australian whaling industry. So glad this industry has ceased in Australia, but great to see an original whaling boat and the harbour where the whales were brought once captured and killed in the Southern Ocean. Beautiful coastline off the bottom of Australia, with towering red cliffs and extremely rough ocean below. Albany is where Mara, our friend from Kalgoorlie, grew up and following some hints of where to see we spent our days cruising around the coastline. Visiting The Gap - much smaller than our Sydney version, but just as ferocious and well known for suicide - and Nature's Bridge made us realise how silly some people are to capture the 'perfect' photo. Poor Zali and Balunn were so petrified they clung to us for dear life. Thankfully, there was a railing on a viewing platform so we could all enjoy listening to the waves crash on the rocks. A highlight for the kids at the caravan park was the hot tub and the pool. Balunn, like Ella, is a real fish. Although the weather was a cool 21 - 22 each day, he was in the pool and then in the tub as much as he could. Zali, being much more like me, needs the temperature to be a bit warmer before braving the cooler water, spent her time relaxing in the hot tub. An afternoon at the Games Room of the park was lots of fun, followed by a walk and scooter ride to the park for a play on the equipment. Both so brave with how high they like to go on the swings. I really couldn't watch in fear that we would need to make a trip to the local emergency for a broken bone!!

Esperance - another pretty seaside town close to the Cape Le Grand NP. Again, the weather was a little too cool and nowhere near hot enough for the water for me. We stayed at a little caravan park in the town where our luck for the trip changed..... not that we are superstitious, but the number 13 really lived up to expectation - we were set up in Site 13, it was the 13th December, our petrol bill on the way into town was $87.87 and our run of very good luck came to an end!!! An early morning wake up call had our neighbour informing us our car had been broken into during the night and our back passenger window had been smashed. Glass everywhere and the kids' DSis nowhere to be seen!! Plans for a day of relaxing along the bays of Cape Le Grand were now gone as it took most of the day to sort out insurance, wait for the police, organise (with Windscreen O'Briens) to have a window brought in from Sydney and then clean up the mess. No, we were not happy. Once all this was done, off we set for the beach. Balunn hops in the car and notices straight away that the DVD remote has also been taken. Of course, the DVD does not work without the remote. Subaru were fantastic and we had one in the next morning. With a taped up window for 2 days, we explored as much as we could. The road noise was deafening and hard to take, but the kids were brilliant. Twilight Bay was absolutely magnificent and Hellfire Bay in Cape Le Grand was also pretty special. Friday saw a morning of fixing up the window (took much longer than anticipated, which delayed our trip to the start of the Nullarbor), but by 1.30pm we were on the road and saddened that our last few nights in WA had been ruined by someone else's greed. Only material items, but items that belonged to our kids.....

The Nullarbor - after a late start, we didn't think our planned trip would be possible, but we made it through to our free camp at Balladonia by 6.00pm the Friday evening. This was Balunn's first experience of free camping and he was a little amazed that I could do it!! Questions such as.... "Angie, how do the lights work?, Where do we shower?" were answered with Zali informing Bay that this is no caravan park!! He coped, if not a little bored that it is bed time at 7.30pm as it is dark!! We did 2 nights of free camping as we crossed The Nullarbor. We had planned more, but the road is so long, straight and boring that we did the 1500km in two and a half days and not 3-4 as we had planned. Our second night on The Nullarbor saw us free camp right above the start of the Great Australian Bight. A little windy, but so close to the cliffs and views which make this part of the Australian coastline so unique. The winds across The Nullarbor were not too bad at all, but some roadhouses really know how to charge for petrol. In the one day we paid $1.90 per litre at one stop and then $1.40 at the next. Not sure how they can justify such a difference in price!!

Ceduna - we were across the Nullarbor and back into the luxury of a caravan park. Swings for the kids to play on and more importantly for some.... toilets and showers!! Not much to do or see in Ceduna, which was disappointing, and once again the weather was a little cool. This stop was more about relaxing after being in the car so much over the past few days. So little to do that we didn't even take a photo during our stay......

And now we are in Streaky Bay for Christmas. A truly beautiful and relaxing part of the world (thanks to the Davidson family for the tip).... we are all set up with tinsel and lights on the van, presents wrapped and Santa sacks out ready for the big red fella to visit in a few days.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe New Year. We, especially Zali (who has had a few meltdowns that being away from Nanny for this long is far too hard xxx) are looking forward to meeting up with Jen, mum and dad in Adelaide!!!!!

Four weeks today til we drive back into Jamberoo and our big adventure has come to an end..... a sad, sad thought at how quickly it has all gone, but happiness and excitement at the amazing time we have had and shared as a family!!

Hope Santa is good and see you all soon,

Ange, Pete, Zali and Balunn

xxxxx

Perth to Busselton via Kalgoorlie, Hyden and Collie - 24th November ~ 9th December

We headed out of Perth and through the Hills area to make our way out to Kalgoorlie. After a night of free camping about 180km from our destination, we were up and off to see our friends from Lake Argyle, Mara and Steve.

Along the way, we stopped to help some 'cousins' who had run out of fuel. After filling them up with the 20L of fuel we had in our jerry can and a chat about our holiday and their dream to do the same thing one day, we were back on the road. Before too long, we were waved down again (this time we didn't stop) as they needed more fuel. The flies and the smell of grog the first time was enough to make anyone sick, plus we had no extra fuel on us.

Once in Kalgoorlie, we went to see Mara at work. Steve was away for the night, so with keys in hand we went and set up at their beautiful new home. We were more than willing to stay in a park, but after much convincing we decided to stay with them in their house - a whole level of bedrooms, bathroom, gym, tv room, lounge room and kitchen leading out to the backyard and resort pool area - bliss!! The three nights we stayed in Kal were great. Each afternoon, Steve and Mara's kids and grand kids came over for a swim and a drink, we joined them all in town for the lighting of the Christmas Tree (and fire works, which saw us make a quick departure with a screaming Zali in tow, too scared of the noise), I enjoyed a morning of pampering with a deluxe pedicure (getting ready for my return home) and we helped prepare for Nan Epis' 75th birthday party which was being held on the day we left. It was so lovely to be so welcomed and accepted by such a beautiful and close knit family. The grand kids played so happily and easily with Zali and we were all sad when we had to say good bye. Lucky, we will get to catch up with Steve, Mara, Brooke and Jasper on our first weekend back in Sydney.

Besides socialising, we did also manage to see some of the magnificent sites around Kalgoorlie:

* As Kal is a huge gold mining town, we went and explored the look out at the Super Pit (very different to the mining techniques and way of life I studied with my class before we left of the original Kalgoorlie Gold Rush). We also spent the afternoon at the Mining Museum where we watched a gold pour, toured an original gold camp set up and had the opportunity to pan for gold. It was a bit hot and too many flies for us to stay too long to see what we could find!!

* We toured Boulder and saw all the damage to the old buildings caused by the earthquake earlier in the year. So many original and historical buildings completely fenced in and most beyond repair.

* Peter and I were lucky Mara had time to take us on a tour of Kalgoorlie (Zali was too busy in the pool with the grand kids). This saw us checking out the impressive new golf course, Hammond Park, where peacocks, emus and kangaroos roam freely through the picnic areas and the town lookout above the water pipeline. Kalgoorlie was much bigger and more beautiful than we had imagined!!

* Steve (Tinny) took us on a tour of the Fire Station where he used to work before going into a management position with FESA. Zali loved getting up close to the fire truck and climbing aboard. Not brave enough, however, for the sirens and the lights to be turned on. She also came away with a heap of stickers, tattoos and a work booklet to remember this great opportunity.

Following on from our farewells, we made our way to Hyden - home of Wave Rock and Hippo's Yawn. Yes, both places were good to see, but will not hit the list of places we need to see again. Too hot, too many flies and not near as impressive as we had imagined......

The next morning we hit the road for a visit to the town of Collie - the only coal mining town in WA. Also, the town where Michael used to work about 5 years ago before getting a job back closer to home. Michael had always spoken about a town with nothing to do and no one around, but it was actually much bigger than his description had ever eluded to. I thought he would have been happy with the 4 pubs, the variety of shops and the multicultural eateries available... perhaps he was too busy working long days at the open cut mine about 20km from the town!!

We took a drive out to the mining area (tours no longer available after a terror threat in 2006) to see where he was based. A very hot, dusty and dirty work place, but so glad I could explore an area where Michael learnt so much for a job he loved......

From here, it was a short trip into Busselton. I was only here for a few nights before making the trek back to Perth for my flight home to Jamberoo for the weekend. In the few days I had, it was great to see the development and improvements made to the town since we were there in 2007. Their jetty (the longest in the world) is still breathtaking and magical. An afternoon of relaxing on the beach saw us meet some locals who invited us along to the bowling club to enjoy a few drinks and a sausage sizzle (for Pete and Zali) as the local barefoot bowls comp took place. It was then onto packing and having everything sorted before our early morning departure back to Perth - had learnt from Leigh's experience and was not missing the plane!!

The next 5 days saw parallel adventures......

* Pete and Zali - picked up John from Perth and brought him back down to Busselton so he could compete in Iron Man 2010. With John visiting and getting ready for the big race, Zali and Pete went for a drive to the wineries, fudge factory and chocolate factory of the Margaret River. They watched John race, had the car serviced (and went to the movies and strolled around Bunbury for the 5 hours this took) and got everything ready for my arrival back with Balunn in tow.

* Angela - had a long trip back as I was ill. Loved flying business class, just a pity I couldn't enjoy the perks that came with the Qantas Club and sitting at the front of the plane. The reason for my trip was to see my family and spend time with Michael's family and friends for the first anniversary since his passing - hard to believe just how quickly the year has gone..... A special and moving day was had at the Michael Condon Memorial Day - incorporating a blessing over his new headstone, a bowls and golf afternoon in the Inaugural Michael Condon Memorial Golf Challenge, and a dinner for those who could attend. I was so lucky I had the opportunity to be able to attend. I know Pete and Zali were disappointed they weren't there, but the 2011 celebrations will be bigger and better. While at home (it certainly wasn't a rest and the 3 hour time difference became a real killer)..... I had my hair done, went out for dinner with my school friends, booked all the internal flights for our Europe adventure and attended the Graduation Dinner for my Year 6 2010 class - they were thrilled to see me and many wanted to know if my tan was real or fake!!

After a night of family time and a dinner with Mum and Katrina at Darling Harbour, it was time to head back to Perth. I certainly haven't missed the chaos of Sydney traffic - when did peak hour start to 6.50am? The stress of the new Qantas check in procedures will see me try and avoid flying Qantas again after we nearly didn't get all our luggage on the flight (and then the first bag checked in didn't make it to Perth, anyway!!), but Balunn and I were eventually relaxed on the flight on our way back for the last 7 weeks of our adventure.....

Back in Perth (minus all our clothes, Christmas presents and toiletries - but the car seat arrived!!), we were on our way back to Busselton to get ready for the pack up and move to Albany the next morning. The screaming and excitement in the car, by both Zali and Balunn, was enough to do anyone's head in!!

It was good to be back with my little family and continue this amazing adventure... still so much to see in our last 7 weeks!!

Out and About in Perth ~ 12th November - 24th November 2010

We arrived in Perth to weather which was much cooler than we were used to. Hot weather was predicted during our stay, but the nights and early mornings were chilly.

A well kept secret was sussed out the night before the surprise - Leigh was coming to visit us for 5 days while we were there. This was very exciting!!!

Not so exciting was the vomiting Zali on the freeway on the way to pick Leigh up from the airport. Wrapped in a red blanket, I made my way into the terminal to wipe the chunky bits off the poor chook before we could see Leigh. Some kind lady asked me was Zali feeling the cold - no, completely naked underneath as her clothes were covered!! Not much better on the way home with another projectile. Leigh was quite restrained and strong (can't stand vomit on her own children), but was certainly happy to be out of the car as quickly as she could when we reached our set up. The vomiting happened on and off for the next 4 days and then Pete went down with the 'bug', too. So lucky at the moment that I am managing to avoid any illness the others have picked up!!

So what did we do with Leigh visiting:

* Rottnest Island - we spent the day exploring the beauty of Rottnest. Much colder water than we were used to and Zali and I enjoyed watching Leigh and Pete brave the water from the warmth of the sand. We didn't hire bikes (far too much hard work), but opted for the hop on and hop off bus which tours the islands. More tips about the best places to visit would have been handy. We were all concerned when we were the only people who hopped of the bus at the first stop. Lucky it was only for a short stop, as there wasn't much to see at the bay except seaweed. The highlight of this stop was the screaming that came from Leigh when she stopped for a bush wee and disturbed a resting quokka. Not sure who was more frightened..... Our next few stops really highlighted the beauty of Rottnest Island..... white sand, crystal clear water and unique rock formations.

* Shopping - following my successful renal check up at Royal Perth Hospital at 7.30 one morning (results were so good I don't think I should go back to work....), we hit the Harbour Town shopping complex. Zali had to come with us to make it a girls' day and had just as much fun choosing her own new clothes and shoes. There were some real bargains to be had.... of course, shopping happened on and off for the 5 days Leigh visited. It had been quite a while since any decent shopping had been available!!! So what didn't we buy.... among the collection we had purchased - hand bags, wallets, shoes, belts, adult clothes, children clothes, books, stickers and a diary. One small factor was omitted from my thoughts - where were they all going to fit in the van????

* Swan River Cruise - we spent an afternoon cruising the Swan River to Fremantle. There is just sooo much money in WA. The mansions along the river were amazing, but seriously, who can afford to pay nearly $60 million dollars for a property? And, why would you want to?? Zali loved the attention Leigh gave her and the painting of the nails with the newly purchased hot pink and gold glitter nail polish was a real hit!! They did look a treat!!! Most annoying was the company on our cruise. A group of Japanese tourists that had no interest in looking at what was being discussed, but rather playing a card game that was very noisy and speaking over each other. We stuck it out and we were most relieved they were only travelling one way on the cruise, others were not as resilient and bailed to other areas of the boat within minutes of departing Perth. Once we were off the boat, we headed to Hillary's boat harbour for a cocktail at the pub. Superb location and drink!!

* Lunch at Cottesloe Beach - what a beautiful part of the world Cottesloe is!!! Besides the great food, the views from Indiana Restaurant (much like Bathers at Balmoral) were just to die for. We were given our own little area for the 4 of us and we all just sat back, relaxed and enjoyed each others' company (while checking out who was on the beach - no famous people spotted, unfortunately). The sun was shining and the three different styles of home made pasta we ordered were delicious.

The next morning was the last Liddy was having with us. After some pancakes for breakfast, the girls headed to Fremantle markets for a look and to buy some fresh produce. The coffee, cake and chat at the end probably should have been left as when Leigh got to the airport with 40 minutes before her flight departed, they would not let her on. Poor thing then sat at the airport for 10 hours (Zali and I joined her for 3 hours to try and take some boredom away). Qantas have a lot to answer for. All tickets say check in 30 minutes prior to departure - not the case this day!!

Once Leigh had headed home, we spent some time relaxing around the park and catching up with some friends we had met along the way. Zali was thrilled to be able to play with Bianca again while Pete and I had a great catch up with Tash and Paul. Two little friends for life xxxx We also caught up with Tanya, Thalia and David, whom we had met just before coming to Perth. Lovely to just sit and chat about life and some of the difficulties it throws at us.....

Then it was time to pack up and get ready for the next leg of our journey - Kalgoorlie, Collie (to see where Michael used to work) and then onto Busselton. From here, I am flying home for 5 days to see everyone and to be with my family for the first anniversary of Michael's death. A hard one, but one that needs to be done. Pete and Zali will stay in Busselton and John is joining them to compete in the Iron Man series here on the weekend. I am certainly going home at the right time!!

To those I will not see on my short trip home to the east, I hope you are all well. To those I will see, looking forward to catching up and seeing you all!!

Love to everyone,

The Travelling Helsloots

Carnarvon to Perth ~ 31st October - 12th November

Leaving the beauty of Coral Bay was hard, but the drive down the coast was lovely.

We had planned the trip out and knew what we wanted to see and do as we made our way into Perth. There were many stops along the way.

Carnarvon - so lovely to see all the fresh produce growing as we drove into the town. Many along the way spoke poorly of the town, so we only booked in for one night. On further exploration, the town and its surrounds really were much more than we had expected. After a much needed shop (where prices were much more appropriate), a high pressure wash of the car and setting up the van, we headed off to see Quobba - where rustic and harsh cliff faces meet the Indian Ocean. The blowholes were fascinating to watch and we could have spent hours sitting and watching each explosion through the variety of holes where the water blows through. Further up the coast we stopped to have a look at the monument marking the location of HMAS Sydney, our Navy boat and the 645 people who lost their lives fighting in WW2 when their boat was sunk by the Japanese.

Monkey Mia - the drive into Monkey Mia was the most picturesque and divine view we had seen so close to the main road. WA certainly has its fair share of magnificent water colour!! Monkey Mia did not live up to my expectation, but Peter was thrilled with the place. I thought the 'resort' was very run down and for the price they charge it certainly wasn't value for money. Peter's time was much more memorable (I didn't even get in the water), but he enjoyed his opportunity (or rather Zali's, who screamed and wouldn't participate) when asked to feed the wild dolphins. That afternoon while he was out swimming with some other people, he also loved the wild dolphin who came and swam with them and the fact the dolphin was not at all worried about humans being in the water. An afternoon trip to Denham was great. Zali made friends with some kids from Avalon, while Pete and I sat with their parents enjoying the show a dugong was putting on for us about 5m from the shoreline. On the way out of Monkey Mia, we stopped in the extreme heat for a walk to see the oldest stromatolites on earth. Stromatolites are bacteria which live on rocks and provide a large amount of oxygen for the Earth. It was amazing to see their 'breathing' bubbles in the water. It was a pity that you could not swim in the whole area as it was soooo hot!! The walk to and from the car in the heat saw an upset child and two very frustrated parents!!

Kalbarri - and more visits to see gorges and rock formations in the national park. To be honest, it gets a bit like castles and abbeys in the UK and Europe after a while!! Exploring the coast line was great and an afternoon trip saw lots of whales and their calves happily playing in their pool below us. The noise they make when they flop back into the ocean after a jump out of the water was so loud. The weather was not as warm as we were used to (only a mild 27 - 28 deg each day) and I really did find this quite cool. A jumper was required outside and a doona at night - a LONG time since any of these items had been used!! The sites to see in the National Park were pretty spectacular, but the flies were a killer. Zali was most taken by 'Nature's Window' and 'Z Bend'.

Geraldton - we stayed in a little caravan park just out of the 'city'. Here we saw our first set of traffic lights in nearly 90 days!! Geraldton is a very pretty town. A beautiful walking path right along the foreshore and one of the biggest kids' playground and water park I have ever seen. Zali was in heaven!! The highlight of our stay in Geraldton was the time we spent at the memorial to HMAS Sydney. The memorial was built before the boat was found in 2008, but is in memory of the 645 people on board who perished when the boat sank. It is a dome made of 645 metal doves and looks right out over the ocean. Truly spectacular. The information surrounding the monument was so well put together and we were so glad we got to explore such an important part of our war history.

Jurien Bay and Cervantes - two tiny coastal, fishing towns with magnificent water views. We stayed in Jurien Bay for the 3 nights (especially after Zali made friends with Thalia, a beautiful little girl from Port Macquarie). Again, a great park area for the kids and a 6km walking track along the beach front so Pete and I could keep up the exercise. Our day trip to the Pinnacles was the highlight of our time in this area. Trying to figure out what they reminded us of was tricky - space (as we imagine it) or a cemetery with thousands of headstones!! Rock formations, as far as the eye can see, of all different sizes and shapes. There certainly were some interesting ones, I assure you!!

From here it was onto Perth. 12 days to see as much as we can of this beautiful city - so well designed and set out compared to Sydney!! Also, time for a much needed renal check up (been shaking for weeks) and time to hit the shops and boutiques of Perth.

Hope everyone is well and until the Perth update.... good bye from us!!

The Coral Coast - Ningaloo Reef - 17th October ~ 31st October

We based ourselves in Exmouth for 3 nights to spend time exploring places close to the town - Bundegi Beach, HMS Mildura shipwreck and the Lighthouse. These day trips saw us in and out during the day and cooling off in the refreshing clear waters around Exmouth - divine!

I also celebrated my birthday while in Exmouth and had one of my best birthdays yet...... home cooked pancakes for breakfast, a day of snorkelling in beautiful Turquoise Bay and then a dinner with my loving family at Whalers Seafood Restaurant (the food was so good, we later went back for a lunch!!). It was also lovely to be in a phone service area so that I could speak to my family and friends during the day. It also came with the realisation that 35 now rounds to 40 and this isn't so good!!!!

Our third night was an early one, as Pete had to get up at 5.45 the next morning to line up for a camp site in The Cape Range National Park. It is a matter of first in, first served and we didn't want to miss this opportunity to be camped by the Ningaloo Reef for a few nights and to have such close access to so many wonderful places.

Our plan worked and after his early morning set off, Pete arrived back with the news that we had been allocated a spot in Ned's Camp ground. A site that has 6 generated spots and the rest no modern technology at all. Many, including myself, are very surprised that I survived (and loved) our 6 nights without power or running water!! We also barely used our generator (except for boiling the kettle to wash up and warm the water for our 'bath') and loved the atmosphere of where we were. We were surrounded by amazing families and couples, who all gelled and loved each others' company.

Some of our highlights during this week were:

* Turquoise Bay - snorkelling with a huge array of fish (colours and sizes), swimming with turtles and reef sharks the same sizer as me.

* Oyster Stacks - difficult to get in and out of, but well worth it with the magnificent colour of the coral and marine life.

* Sandy Bay - the clearest and longest stretch of turquoise water you will ever see. An added bonus to be able to see the kite surfers set up and take off.

* The wildlife.....

~ Kangaroos abundant and drinking our grey water bucket each night (including a territorial battle one night between two kangaroos who wanted the lot for themselves. So noisy, that it woke us fro our sleep!!

~ Emus roaming everywhere and trying to drink the bore water when we were stocking up our 'bath' water supply.

~ An echidna walking along the beach with us as we explored the waters off Lakeside and the goanna on the way into Lakeside.

* Happy Hour - a gathering of all at the camp site each night for a drink and a chat. So many families doing what we are and lots of retired (but not old) couples just taking their time exploring this great country of ours. A highlight of one social gathering was meeting a Dutch family who were friends and colleagues of Stef and Anna - such a small world!!

From Exmouth it was onto Coral Bay. We had planned to stay here 3 nights, but with the relaxed small town atmosphere we extended our stay to 6 nights (with drama at the caravan park....). After our problem was sorted, and we had unhappily moved from our ocean front site (bed ends out, roof out and hooked up to the car for the 20m move), we settled down and got back into enjoying the beauty of the area. It truly is an untouched area and we were not prepared for the size (and the expense of the place). Had we known 1L of milk would cost $3.45 and a 2L bottle of soft drink would come in at $6.10 we would have made the effort to restock the fridge and cupboard in Exmouth on the way out. These matters became trivial as we met up and spent time with the great people we had seen on our previous travels. That said, we depart in the morning with milk, cheese and marg in the fridge and weetbix and the odd bit of canned food in the cupboard.

Some highlights around Coral Bay include:

* Zali finally being brave enough to take on a snorkel in the bay and the joy on her face seeing the colourful fish. Bribery of a t-shirt stating "I had the best snorkel in Coral Bay' was incentive enough for this to happen.

* Pete and Marty snorkelling at the wharf with a 2m groper. I would have loved to have joined them, but with blister on blister between my toes, from trying to be 'fit', has caused havoc with my walking. Was even advised to stay out of the water as the bacteria from the reef is not good for open skin wounds.

* Taking the 1 1/2 hour walk to the reef shark sanctuary/breeding ground to see the sharks hunting for their food.

* 3.30 fish feeding in the bay every afternoon. Zali was not at all a fan of 1m fish swimming between her legs and nipping at her ankles. The view from dad's shoulder was more enjoyable for all trying to take in the experience!!

* Having our caravan full of girls enjoying each others' company. The squeals and noise they made would not have been a hit with the 'grey nomads' around us.

So now its back to packing up again as we make our way south for more fun in the sun.

Missing everyone and hope you are all well,

Ange, Pete and Zali

xxx

The Pilbara Region ~ 3rd October - 16th October 2010

After leaving Broome we headed south to Eighty Mile beach for the night. The weather was hot and when we stopped for a fuel refill we were in the hottest temperature we have encountered so far - 46 degrees.... thank go we were moving on!!!

Eightly Mile Beach was very pretty. No swimming as there are too many sea snakes and reef sharks too close to the shoreline. Zali loved collecting shells as we walked along the beach and we had a great time back at the van polishing them up so they don't lose their shine. This was a tip from Colleen, a grandma from Tasmania, who took a sudden liking to Zali as she was the same age as her own grandchildren back at home.

From Eighty Mile Beach we headed further south to Port Hedland. After being turned away from our first choice of the Big 4, we ended up in a park in South Hedland for the first of our two night stay. Luckily for Zali, we were camped for the night next to Colleen, who shared with Zali many of the thousands of shells she has collected on her travels over the past 20 months and Zali came away with an even bigger stash of shells to store in our van.... great!! It was lovely to see the interaction Zali had with Colleen and the amazement and belief in her eyes in everything she was told about the types of shells she was looking at and where they came from. Who would have thought shells could be so interesting!!! While in Port Hedland, we took a tour of BHP's Iron Ore processing facility. The facility is in the town centre and is massive. After overcoming the shock we had to be completely covered up for the tour in the extreme heat (in case we got left at the plant during the tour, they didn't want us to get sunburnt, but don't worry about heat stroke!!). Everything is on such a grand scale...... trains that range from 3.66km to 7.353km (world record), they fill boats (mainly from Asia) with 200 tonnes of iron ore in less than 12 hours before they send them on their way and they export 178 million tonnes out of the port per year. We all found the tour fascinating!! We also found the cost of housing in the area extreme - $2500 per week for your average 3 bedroom house..... and we thought Sydney was expensive!!

Karratha was the next stop on our tour. After a look around Dampier and Point Samson, we settled for an afternoon of snorkelling and relaxing at Honeymoon Cove before a late lunch and some refreshments at the local tavern. We were disappointed not be to get close enough to the port, as it is a restricted access area.

The next day of our trip saw us head back towards Port Hedland as we joined the road to Newman. To break up the 600km trip we stayed half way at Auski Road House. This saw us arrive in Newman at lunchtime on the Sunday. This inland mining town is home to BHP's Mt Whaleback - the biggest iron ore mine in the world and provides BHP's Port Hedland facility with all the iron ore. We had planned to complete a tour of the mine, but we were told at the Visitor's Centre that Zali was too young to join the tour, so Pete did the tour on his own the next morning. The size of the trucks, the mine, the workforce and the cost of the whole operation really is astronomical. Amongst other amazing facts, the cost of each tyre on the huge trucks (like Pete is sitting in during the slideshow) is $30000 and they only last 9-12 months!!

From Newman we headed to Karijini National Park. We spent two nights in Dales Gorge campground and visited the magnificent and refreshing Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool. Peter also took the more difficult walk down to the spectacular Circular Pool and then the next day we drove the 'smooth' dirt road 100 kilometre round trip into Weano Gorge to view where the gorges converge at the amazing Oxer and Junction Pool lookouts.

After that it was on to Tom Price the 'top town in WA' due to the highest peak - Mount Newman. The mountain is only accessible by 4WD so instead we drove again on a very 'smooth' dirt road to visit the superb winding gorge and swimming area at Hamersley Gorge. We loved Karijini NP and will definitely be back in the future.

From Tom Price we drove 350 km to a roadhouse at Nanutarra for an overnight rest only and then it was off for the final 280 km into Exmouth. This will be home for the next eight to ten nights as we relax and swim in the majestic turquoise waters of the soon to be World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef in the Cape Range National Park. If the snorkelling and pristine waters at the close to Exmouth Bundegi Beach are anything to go by it should be very tough to take! We just have to make sure that we evade hitting the native and wild emus that roam the streets of Exmouth and keep our eyes peeled for Western Brown snakes (one of the world's most venomous) that prevail in the area and we should have a great time... a 'whale of a time' so to speak as we have already spotted humpbacks moving along the coast and turtles wading close to the shoreline in our first two days........

We have hit the half way mark of our trip. In this time, we have travelled over 15000km, have stayed under budget (though I am yet to hit the shops in Perth) and have only had one major disagreement. Not a bad effort!!!!

Love to all and hope everyone is well,

Ange, Pete and Zali

xxx

Touring the West Kimberleys with Jen ~ 16th September - 2nd October 2010

Jen arrived as the sun was setting over Cable Beach on the 16th September. As we were driving to the airport to meet her, the plane flew over us and the excitement of the girls was intense - squealing, dancing and cheering in the car!! I have never seen such excitement to see someone.... doesn't say much for the company of Pete or I does it!! Zali had even dressed herself in a "beautiful" outfit for the occasion. Ella was not impressed with Zali's embarrassing dress sense.....

Surprise, surprise Jen arrived with presents for us all and of course this felt like Christmas to the girls. They couldn't wait to show her anything and everything in the van and to 'yell' out the itinerary we had planned for the duration of Jen's visit (and the final weeks of Ella's time with us on our trip). Poor Jen must have felt so overwhelmed with all the attention, but she survived before hitting the bed for a late first night (and trying to adjust to the new time zone).

Our first 2 days were spent relaxing by the pool at Cable Beach Caravan Resort and looking around Broome. This before we hit the road to explore some of the wonders of the West Kimberleys. Some of these highlights include:

* driving back to Fitzroy Crossing to take a boat tour of Geike Gorge. A reef system from the Devonian era of 350 million years ago. Not only home to freshwater crocs and an abundance of wild life, but also reef sharks. We were amazed by this in the middle of nowhere....

* touring the first 160km of The Gibb River Road. A bumpy and dusty 4wd track to Tunnel Creek and Windjana Gorge. We were so pleased we made the effort (many hours of driving without being able to go too fast considering we don't have a 4wd).....

.......Tunnel Creek was dark and very scary in parts. Jen chickened out at the entry and decided to wait for us while we did the walk. The girls thought this gave them the option to stay behind, but this was a definite NO from me. This was an experience they both needed - walking through waist deep water in complete darkness with the only light provided by the torches we were carrying. Yes, there was the possibility of crocs in the water and there were hundreds of flying foxes above, but we were all very pleased we had managed the walk when we got back. The creation of the creek in the tunnel really was amazing!!

...... Windjana Gorge was the next stop of the day. This probably should have been our first stop as by the time we arrived the crocs were so hot they were all back in the water - except one, which we rushed to have photos taken with and then it slid away quickly after Jen posed for her photo. This meant Zali and I missed out with the photo opportunity, but we weren't complaining!! We have never seen so many crocodiles 'peacefully' in the water, floating with the tide and oblivious to the humans on the banks of the gorge stunned by their easy going nature.

* On arriving back into Broome, we had booked into Roebuck Bay Caravan Park. Although the amenities weren't great, the view from our ocean front spot was worth the stay. Us, the grass, sand and water of the bay. Huge tides in and out over the mud flats created the most beautiful views and as the moon became a full moon we were able to witness the wonderful natural occasion of the Staircase to the Moon - an illusion which we struggled to capture with our photography....

* Lots of shopping also happened when we were back in Broome - pearls (not for me....), clothes, swimmers, books..... this led to a girls only day - again more shopping - and then a night trip to Sun Cinemas outdoor theatre for our second viewing of Bran Nue Dae. This movie is a favourite of Zali and Ella's and with the sound track having played in the car since we first went to see the movie, the girls happily sang along second time around.

* a trip to Gantheaume Point to see the dinosaur print early one morning. Unfortunately, Zali was asleep for the early morning trip and someone had to stay with her. Ella was not overly impressed with her early morning wake up call, but enjoyed the opportunity when she got there. The dinosaur prints can only be seen at a very low tide and these are either early in the morning or during the night.

* the beauty of sunsets over Cable Beach continued to enthrall us and the girls loved nothing more than driving onto the beach and having the sun set behind them as they played happily on and in the sand. We LOVE the photos we have taken over the past few weeks - every sunset has been different.

* after watching the camels everyday on the beach, we were all more than happy when we finally booked our camel ride for 7.30 this morning. 40 minutes sitting up on the camel was more than enough - my bum is still hurting more than 12 hours later!! - we rode Rasheed, while Jen and Ella rode Lazy Dazy behind us. We strolled along the beach at a leisurely pace and this was painful enough. We would hate to be on it when it reaches maximum speed of 58km/h!! Camel Conner, behind Jen and Ella, took a special liking to Jen and Ella thought it was hilarious that it kept licking Jen on the back. I don't think Jen was so impressed!!!

* 6 nights of luxury...... Jen so kindly booked us in to 2 resorts for the final nights of her stay with us. We started with 4 nights at The Frangipani and we all thought this was pretty special. Adjoining rooms, our own gazebo of day beds, relaxing pool..... This was great until we checked into The Pearle of Cable Beach..... I will let the photos attached do the talking, but we were blown away with such luxury and space!!

Jen and Ella leave us on Saturday and we are sad to see them go. We are especially sad that Ella's 3 months with us is over already. We have LOVED having her with us on our trip and will miss her help, friendship, love, sense of humour and the ease in which she deals with Zali's quirks and frustrations (she has saved Zali on many occasions!!).

Who is going to help us set up the van with bed ends, roof, awning, stabilising legs, water bucket, power? She has been so obliging and more than happy to pull her weight during her time with us. Ella has also had to often make a mad dash from the showers back to the van if I had forgotten something vital for the showers!!

On top of this, I have had her working her butt off on the school front. Miss Ella heads back to school having completed the school work her teachers set, 3 terms of work in her Maths Mentals book and Maths textbook, a years worth of reading comprehension activities, a detailed written and pictorial journal of memories, her blog (which will be finished tomorrow) and a video presentation of the highlights of her trip (set to our road trip music) to share with her class on her return to school.

Yes, there have been some difficult times in getting all this done, but the look of happiness on her face with all she has learnt and experienced over the last 3 months of her life has been worth the effort. Thanks for sharing this experience with us Ella (and thanks to your mum and dad for letting you come with us!!). We will all miss you and love you lots and lots!!

Where to now for us...... on Monday (can't leave until we know the NRL winners, not like this AFL rubbish result) we head to Port Headland, Karijini National Park, Exmouth and Coral Bay. We are aiming to be in Perth by the second week of November, especially as I am due for some tests in Perth. We will then cruise around Perth and possibly Kalgoorlie before I fly home from Perth in early December to join my family for Michael's first anniversary.

Still so much to see and do in this GREAT country of ours. Missing everyone more than you can imagine and I hope you enjoy the link below to a selection of our most recent photos.

Love to everyone,

Ange, Pete and Zali

xxxx

These are the photos already published on Facebook. For those not on Facebook, click on the link to access the photos.......

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=272097&id=530087017&l=589c6c9cb8

Lake Argyle to the West Kimberleys - 20th August on........

We really only left Lake Argyle and made the trip to Kununurra as we had to vote in the federal election - what a farce it has turned out to be!!
We booked in for 3 nights at The Ivanhoe Big 4, which is in town. We had done all we really wanted to do in the East Kimberleys while we were at Lake Argyle, so it was really just a chance to relax, enjoy each others company and see little bits and pieces around the town.

After lining up for 1 1/2 hours to vote, we headed off for an afternoon exploring of Wyndham. We had been warned there were only two views of the area - the view looking out to where the 5 rivers join and the view in the rear view mirror as you drove out of town. This description could not have been more accurate...... The view of the 5 rivers - Ord, Forrest, King, Durack and Pentecost Rivers - may have been better had we been able to see through the smoke haze. The picnic lunch I had packed to have at the lookout was enjoyed on the trip back towards Kununurra in the car. The heat of 39 deg was also a killer!!

On the way back into Kununurra, we stopped for a look at The Grotto - a rock formation with a lovely waterhole at the bottom. In the wet season, the waterfall above cascades into the waterhole below. Lovely in the dry season, so no doubt spectacular in the wet. Zali, Peter and Ella went for a swim (a bit murky for me) and enjoyed the cool down and escape from the heat. Parry's Lagoon was also near by, as we are not really that into bird watching we gave it a miss. A highlight of our stay in Kununurra was the return to Pump House restaurant - this time for dinner. Sitting by the water of Lake Kununurra and enjoying the surrounds was so peaceful....... We also went for a swim at 'swim beach', which Ella couldn't quite understand how they could call it a beach as the only waves it had was when a boat sped past. Again, not quite clear enough water for me to submerge in (toes only), so I enjoyed reading my current mag under a tree on the rug. It was from this point that I could spot the crocodile trap set up for a catch about 6m from where the swimmers were. Hidden at the edge of the trees and just out of the view of anyone who went in for a dip. At this point, I casually suggested we head back for some lunch and perhaps a cool swim at the park. Once we were back in the car I explained my anxiousness to get them all out of the water so quickly!! Other swimmers either didn't see the trap or were prepared to take the risk, but not me!!!

So we packed up from Kununurra and we were making our way to Fitzroy Crossing for a few nights, via a few nights of free camping. A stop for tyre checks on the car and the van and then petrol on our way out of Kununurra saw my real first panic of car or van problems...... Pete filled the car with petrol, went to pay, I tried to start the car and NOTHING!!!! From a fully functioning car to one that now had a very flat battery (within 6 minutes of putting petrol in the car). The people in the next car were ever so helpful and came straight over to see what they could do to help. "Pop the bonnet" was their first request. In my panic that we had missed checking some level of fluid in the motor, I couldn't find the latch to pop the bonnet. To which they replied, "Is this a rental car?"....... my reply, "No, it is ours, we have had it nearly 3 years....." in a very quiet voice and a look of disbelief on the man's face. A further look below the front seat and I located the required button and we were in action - with a very red face from embarrassment!! By this stage, we had even further assistance and before we knew it the car had been jump started and we were on the way to Auto 1 for a new battery before leaving town. First shop - no go...... Second shop - thank goodness they had one and could spare a worker to fit it straight away. Apparently with the heat, car batteries in the north of this great country require replacement every two years. Ours had never been replaced and hence went dead so quickly.

So after what should have been an early departure from Kununurra was now after lunch. Luckily, we were on the road to Leyceter's Rest - 270 km west. This was a lovely little free camp spot on the banks of the empty Ord River. It was actually named after a little boy from Halls Creek who had been killed on the Ord River in a single car accident. Setup, dinner, bed and an early rise (after Zali fell out of bed in the middle of the night - no damage, thank goodness) saw us back on the road and off to Mary's Pool - another free camp on the banks of the Margaret River.

On the way to Mary's Pool, we stopped for a look around Hall's Creek. Upon visiting the Information Centre, we were recommended to take a trip out to Palm Springs. Pete explained we didn't have a 4wd, but the lady said we definitely didn't need one. She also recommended we unhitch at the local police station to keep the van safe and head out for a visit. On arrival at the Police Station, there were people everywhere. Peter went into check if unhitching in their car park was okay and of course, it was. We just couldn't park it right out the front as it was court day and there were many clients around. Hmmmm - was our van safe?? We had images of arriving back with the gas bottle gone, graffiti up the sides, jockey wheel unwound.... we just didn't know. So again, I got busy and made a picnic lunch for the 45km trip to Palm Springs.

We cruised through the first 3kms and then the dirt road started. Straight into corrugations, deep divots and soft red edges,. Not quite what we had in mind for the next 42kms. I had estimated that it would take 30 mins to travel the 45kms. Pete was stressing, the temperature hit 42 deg and we were in deep trouble if we got a flat or something happened to the car. We hadn't even put down our tyre pressure as it was not what we had expected!! Pete was driving and it took 1 3/4 hours to reach our destination. There was much discussion about what the hell we were doing, but on arrival we were so pleased we had persevered with the road conditions. We are not seasoned rough road drivers and we have no desire to ever be 4wd mad people - this is as bad as it could get for us!! A beautiful water hole surrounded by palm trees, the odd car driving past on the road and us with our picnic lunch. Just divine for the short time we could afford to be there (after the much longer than anticipated travel time). I offered to drive back into the town - more prepared for the road after growing up in the country) and managed to get us back to our caravan (which had been left in perfect condition and court was STILL on) in just over an hour. A quick re hitch and we were on the road again for Mary's Pool.

We arrived at Mary's Pool about 5pm and the free camp area - which is huge - was very full. We found ourselves a lovely spot on our own, set up and headed off for a walk across the near empty river. Ella was hot enough to feel the water, so Zali decided she needed too as well. This was all fine until Zali's shoe fell off in the little pond and Ella offered to go in and retrieve it. Of course, the rocks were slippery and next thing, Ella is in the water. She hit her back and elbow on the way down and was very bravely playing down the fact she was in pain as she was desperately trying to keep the tears in. Once we were out of view of anyone else, the flood gates started. She was filthy dirty after the fall, so this meant a 'camp bath' back at the van. The thought of this horrified Ella and I have promised to keep the photographic evidence to myself. All clean, in her pj's and pride back in check, Miss Ella was fine. To our astonishment, people were up at 5am the next morning and off on the next leg of their journey - what is with that??? Not us, Pete, bucket by bucket from the river and with the help of the girls, washed the car and van of all the red dirt we had been collecting, we slowly packed up and were ready to head off before 10am. By this time, the new lot of campers had arrived and set up and we were yet to see the main road.

It was now onto Fitzroy Crossing for a few nights. The Fitzroy River is the second largest outflow of water, to the Amazon River in the world. Although it is the dry season, there is still some fairly deep water in parts of it. Our aim here was to relax by the pool after 'roughing' it on our free camp nights. We stayed at Fitzroy Crossing Lodge and it was beautiful. Besides going to watch the local AFL grand final between 2 remote Aboriginal communities on the Saturday, we did nothing!!!!! We are headed back this way when Jen arrives to check out Geike Gorge so there was no point exerting energy, except to walk to the pool and laze around. Here the girls' befriended a beautiful little girl from Perth, Bianca. She is the same age as Zali, but got on incredibly well with both girls. Along with her parents, Tash and Paul, they have been travelling around Oz for 10 months and are now on the home stretch back to Perth. Our time with them (they were in the van behind us) saw family games of Celebrity Heads (but an educational version for the kids), beer drinking and sitting around the pool having great chats. Bianca was having so much fun with the girls they extended their stay and relaxed with us..... more from Fitzroy Crossing and what it has to offer come the end of September........

After 4 nights at Fitzroy Crossing, we made our way to Derby. This is an entry point to the Gibb River Road, which we will access to visit Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek when we have Jen with us. So many reports about how beautiful it is, so we are very excited about heading back this way in mid September. The caravan park at Derby was not the best place we have ever stayed at, but the local pool and water park kept the kids entertained for hours. This is where my improving swimmer, Miss Zali, decided she is now brave enough to jump off the diving blocks into the deep end with me waiting there to collect her. It didn't take long for her to realise that she didn't need me and she could 'swim' to the edge and get herself out and start again. By the next day, the swim vest was gone for swimming in the shallow end and she can 'swim' with her head above water and can safely get herself out at the ladder. We are thrilled with this, as she has always been so timid and lacking in confidence around water. The pool for our own backyard is now even higher on our priority list!! We did a few little odd bits around Derby during our short stay (including me driving the wrong way onto the jetty), but there really wasn't a lot to see. The Gibb River will definitely be worth the effort on our return there in a few weeks.......

From Derby we were off to Broome where we have now been for the past 5 nights and will be for a little longer. We will venture south to Barn Hill and Port Smith before Jen arrives and then the schedule picks back up again to fit in as much as we can before she returns to NSW with Ella (not sure how we are going to cope once Ella has gone, she is a blessing and treasure to have with us xxx). So during this time, we are relaxing by the pool (including laps by Pete and I to try and stave off too much weight gain), trips to the beach (though it was shut for 2 days at the end of last week due to a croc sighting), catching up with Tash, Paul and Bianca and driving around this quaint seaside village. We are loving being at Cable Beach. Ella even spotted Tim, Amber, Will, Angy and Kate (friends from home) at the same caravan park and the girls are enjoying hearing all the stories of the great places they have visited over the past few months.

Til Jen arrives on the 16th - stay safe, enjoy life and Happy Fathers' Day to all the dads reading.
Love
Ange, Pete, Zali and Ella
xxxxx