Day 47 - Under Attack!

• Jurien Bay - Cervantes
• 26 kms
• 32°c

We awoke this morning with plans to “surf” the sand dunes, so after breakfast Ella & Oscar did their school work in record time – half an hour! We ventured outside to see what our travel buddies were up to, only to be greeted by more flies than ever – ughh!

We spent the next hour or so inside thinking they would go once the wind changed, boy were we wrong! They must have signalled their friends to invade because the next thing we know we are in the middle of a bee swarm, I’m not kidding there was at least a thousand bees surrounding the van.  Steve went outside and before he had even taken 2 steps from the van, he got stung by a bee for the first time ever!

So that was it! It was the fastest we have ever packed up, just threw everything in the van amidst swatting the bees trying to avoid being stung and pulled up stumps. Ella & Oscar had to stay in the van till we’d driven out of the camp spot before they could get in the car.  Mother Nature -1 Us – 0

So we headed to Cervantes  for what we hoped would be some relief and so far have only seen about 2 flies! The kiddos spent the afternoon at the playground and using the very novel telephone box!

Sending our thoughts and love to Kane & his family – R.I.P. Bark a wonderful man

Apologies for the lack of photos, but due to the bees this was unavoidable!!
Pinnacles Caravan Park , $42 a night, water, power & no bees!!!

Day 46 - Jurien Bay

• Dongara - Jurien Bay
• 133 kms
• 32°c

After a very restless sleep by all, we were up and at 'em early and headed into Dongara for breakfast at The Dongara Bakery, one of Lizette & Neale's friends said is a must visit!  Either the bakery has totally transformed or it was a bit of a bum steer!

We stopped in the centre of town - the only place to pull up the van. Which just happened to be in front of a lovely park and across from the bakery and an op shop! We wandered around the little town waiting for the 10am opening of the op shop and the boys browsed a while then left us girls to take our sweet time - which proved very rewarding especially being half price day!

Homeschool was in for a bit after lunch, then we packed up and headed off to Jurien Bay not wanting to get there too late in case it was another highway hotspot!

Ella got stung by a bee on the playground but was pretty brave about it.

There was a few flies about but nothing like Ellendale Pool, we had a walk along the beach which was really nice and the kids climbed the dunes and Ella had a go on Bodhi's "kite" and flew down.

After a yummy camp made pumpkin and sweet potato soup the kiddos watched a movie in our van, whilst the adults retreated to the "Bus" for a spot of sewing and great company.

Sandy Point Camp Spot - $15 per van, no water or power, dodgy toilets

Day 45 - Beaching & Kite Surfing

• Ellendale Pool - Dongara
• 134kms
• 27°c

These flies are terrible! so we're moving on today.  We got school out of the way early today so we can just cruise for the rest of the day.

 

It really is a lovely spot except for the millions of flies and the deadly waters!

We stopped in Geraldton for a play on the dunes and a spot of kite surfing for Neale. Boy was it windy! It was what I imagine the sand blowing across the desert would be like, whipping at your ankles.

Neale made it look so easy, up and over the waves and he was off!

It was late afternoon before we left so we decided to stop at a "real" free camp for the night just out of Dongara.  The sun was setting as we pulled into what was really just a larger than normal service lane that was to be our camp for the night.  We drifted in and out of sleep to the sounds of the trucks on the highway!

Dongara Rest Area, $free, no power, no water, no toilets, no nothing!!

Day 44 - Ellendale Pool

• Ellendale Pool
• 23°c

After arriving late yesterday afternoon we had a better look around today and what an amazing spot, we camped pretty close to the water and had a beautiful rock face backdrop!

Our new friend Bodhi likes to go hunting for old bottles. I remember doing the same thing with my brother when I was younger and i'm sure there was a time we had to run from a bull?!

This particular dig site was only accessible by climbing over a barbed wire fence, as you do!

Ella & Oscar were having a ball! It was so much fun excavating the area and watching them get so excited when they found one and then the suspense to see if it would be complete or broken.

The only thing we're having issues with here are the flies! Grrr there's sooo many of them!

Couldn't think of a better way to spend the afternoon, the boys enjoying a couple of beers & a friendly backgammon series and Lizette & I crafting! ahh this is the life!

Day 43 - The Junkyard Gang!

• Geraldton - Ellendale Pool
• 92kms
• 20°c

Introducing "The Junkyard Gang"! They spent the morning over at the junkyard whilst we packed up camp. They had found the area out the back of the caravan park yesterday afternoon and decided it was a goldmine of stuff!

Ella & Aliyah had built a sculpture of a lady out of old car parts and then decided to build a car which they were actually able to push each other around in.

They all had a great time sifting through junk, making stuff and just having a plain old great time, love it! That was until the caretaker told them they weren't allowed in there (perhaps it should've been sectioned off?) which was right about the time we were pulling out anyways.

A trip to the Museum was our education for today, it is quite a small museum but very interesting nonetheless.  It housed some Australian native animals, some early artefacts, a section on the "stolen generation" which was particularly moving - have got to find the movie "Rabbit Proof Fence" for us all to watch.

The Museum houses a large exhibition on the shipwreck of the Batavia, which was really interesting.

The wind farm on the way to Ellendale Pool, they have 54 wind turbines.

The girls up a tree, where else would they be?! Brutus looking for his new best friend Steve the Sausage Man!

 

Kicking back after a hard day at the office!

Ellendale Pool, $5 a night per van!, toilets (flushing!) no power or water, 

Day 42 - Hanging out at camp

• Geraldton
• 26°c

Spent the day around camp again! Not sure where the day went? Ella and Oscar just played the day away.

I got a little bit of sewing done, and we hung out with our new friends.

Day 41 - Playdays

• Geraldton
• 28°c

Another easy day around camp, got some housekeeping done, washing etc knowing that we'll be heading off shortly to a spot with no power or water.

Didn't see much of Ella & Oscar today they were too busy off and about playing with Aliyah & Bodhi.

It's really great they've found some friends to play with and they are such great kids too.

The girls set up a day spa, quite reasonable prices and we were treated to massages, pedicures, manicures & hot crystals!