14 July. Broome.

Well we did move, morning of thr 13th we packed up and came into Broome for 2 nights at the Broome Caravan Park, a big park, well organised and full, site 52. We had just got set up then I opening my phone and had a message from the couple we camped next to at The Causeway near Bundaberg. Monika had been reading my Blog & found were were camped about 200 meters away at Quondong Point & could we meet for coffee! I phoned her and as it happened she had a Dental appointment in Broome this morning, so they came here (it was the identical site they had stayed in 5 weeks ago!) we have arranged to go back to Quondong Point & stay with them for a couple of weeks. They are from Philltp Island & we were going to look them up in January.

Now back to the beginning, it's a 48k drive in, the first bit is a sand track, then it's the corrugated road AGAIN.  Where we meet the highway there are a row of garbage bins, so all the vans line up to get rid of their Rubbish.

Broome is on a little peninsula with the Indian Ocean on one side 'Cable Beach' and 'Roebuck Bay' on the other side. It is the Pearl capital of Australia & cultures extremely high quality pearls (I know because I have been in 'Willie's Pearl shop' prices start from $1,000 and rise at alarming speed!)

We went on a drive around the area just to get a feel for the place. It is Pearls and Tourists & the latter are here by the 1,000s. Any type of accommodation needs to be booked in advance. 

To day was our sight seeing day and it's been wonderful. After coffee with Monika and Fred, we set out for 'China Town' which is the main town, it's is a place full of colour, shops, clothes, and people of all nationalities. We had been told to go to 'Shady Lanre' and have a mango smoothie, yum it was so good. (thanks Jan) The Japanese were the early pearl divers & they have there own cemetery where 900 divers are buried. Also Broome was bombed during WW11 and the harbour was the target where a lot of Dutch (particularly women & children) were refugees from the Dutch East Indies, on flying boats anchored in the harbour.

The wharf is right at the end of the peninsula and the ocean is not blue but turquoise, the colour is breathtaking. 

On then to Cable Beach, no wonder everyone raves about it.

The area overlooking the beach.

Yes it was WINDY.

The beautiful people were enjoying the white sand, oh to be younger and fit!

Then we spotted a Camel train going down to the beach

This called for further investigation, into the car and drive down to the beach in fact onto the beach

Then we saw 2 a Camel trains all sitting down waiting for their passengers to mount and walk all beach. Seeing them on the sunset tour is supposed to be something special. I hope we can see it when we come back to Broome. The gold team.

The blue team.

There were endless tours being taking around, People in long flowing cool dresses of brilliant colours and others in the miniest of bikinis. All languages being spoken, it's SO interesting.

We called at Bunnings to get 2 more water jerry cans & cloth adhesive tape to tape cupboard doors etc when driving corrugated roads. Who should be there but Fred & Monika (minus her tooth)  getting a new gas bottle.

One more stop, Coles Supermarket, the biggest I have ever seen, and I spent the most I have ever spent at one time. Everything is dearer due to cost of transport & this area is in high tourist season. Where we are going there is no corner store or ANYTHING. IT IS THAT 90k return trip to get anything.

The next 2 weeks will be quiet as we are Quondong Point & not sure of phone reception. Blessings to all.