Travel Updates

Hello Everyone,

Sorry about the lack of updates, Phone reception has been terrible along this stretch.

Firstly I would like to thank everyone for my birthday wishes, it was a great birthday, waking up in Coral Bay, to a stack load of presents then driving to a beautiful ocean side nature reserve for the night where we drank Corona and had a beautiful dinner thanks to my beautiful wife.

I left of the last post from Coral Bay, unfortunately because we had been there before we weren’t really into exploring so it was just a relaxing stay for us, I have attached a photo of the Ningaloo Reef Resort Pub I mentioned in the last post also sorry it isn’t the best picture as I took it with my I phone at night, the resort looks more like it belongs in Bali or Thai Land as it is littered with grass huts and is very relaxing.

On Wednesday we headed to Cleaverville beach, the scenery was like the past few days very plain, we noticed upon leaving Coral Bay this morning that we had broken on of our U bolts from the distribution bars we have fitted to the caravan so we called into Karratha to see if we could source a replacement, in which we failed miserably. We then went to Andrews old stomping grounds Roebourne, it is a small community about 40 kms north or Karratha, the turn of to Cleaverville beach was actually before Roebourne but Sherron had felt guilty she hadn’t gotten me a birthday cake and we forgot to look in Karratha so we thought we would go into Roebourne and grab something after a very quick tour of the town we ended up with an ice cream each and headed for Cleaverville.

I have attached a map of where the 3 area’s are in relevance.

Cleaverville Beach was nice, although the road in was very rutty and was about 22kms inland so it was a slow drive.

Once we got there and setup someone came up to us and said you should park facing the other way like the rest of us as the wind comes in from this side pointing to the side my caravan door and annex where. I looked around and noticed in fact we were the only van out of about 30 that were facing this direction DURRR!!!! As we were only there for the night we didn’t turn around, this was our first real night of free camping, using the generator for power of 240v items e.g. the TV and Aircon, two things I cant live without, especially because Sherron had brought me underbelly for my birthday and I was dying to watch it.

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We turned the Generator off at about 10ish and went to sleep as we were headed to eighty mile beach tomorrow about 518kms away.

As we set of we phoned the Caravan park at Eighty Mile Beach, Sherron got a lady who answered who was a right bitch if I don’t say so myself, Sherron asked if there were any powered site for the night, and she replied we don’t take bookings and by the time you get here they will be all gone, the only thing she didn’t ask was how far we were away. She must have had ESP with built in GPS and I reckon a little PMS to go with all the other acronyms (see now I’m 28 not only do I use big words but I can even use them in the right context , well at least I hope I have.) So we thought we will bypass rude town, oh I mean Eighty Mile Beach and headed to Barn Hill where a friend of mine highly recommended. The only issue was that was that Barn Hill was another 180kms further than Eighty Mile Beach and was only 130kms short of Broome, but we thought stuff it and we headed to Barn Hill.  Stopping to top up the tanks and change drivers I found a nice dead tree to take a photo of, I don’t know what makes me like dead trees but this one was something special.

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After the spectacular dead tree photo’s we continued our way to Barn Hill. After it started to get dark we both kept an eye for wild life, when at about 6.30pm we came across the turn of. Only 10kms to the Barn Hill Homestead along a sandy track. We had to stop a few times to open and shut gates when we came across THE BEAST. It scared us both, if we were game to get out of the car we would have gone to the van to change our undies as we almost literally shit our self’s:) There right in front of us was a large bull, A fence running down one side and an embankment down the other and then us and the biggest bull on earth (maybe a slight exaggeration) right in the middle, so I thought we will just sneak past him. So we approached slowly and then he turned, his eyes bright red and steam coming out of his nose he started to charge us (well he turned took two steps then continued forward again) he then turned and moved 3 steps then stopped then waiting a while he took another few steps and stopped. This went on for about 30 mins until we finally had phone signal and we could ring the station ahead and get advice, or a cowboy to save us. Picture this Sherron standing on the sidestep trying to get good enough reception to tell the people ahead that we were stuck behind a bull!! The lady on the other end of the phone through her laughter said just dim your lights and sneak past, easy said then done I think but I pushed through the fear and it was all over we where finally making way to our nights rest spot, 2 fearless bull wranglers. I have attached a picture of the bull, sorry it isn’t very good but between the shaking and the nights darkness it was the best we could do.

You might be thinking gezz the bull doesn’t look that big, that’s because we are a looooong way away

So we finally make it to Barn Hill were we setup have dinner what a big of TV and then go to bed. In the morning we wake up to find a different landscape than we expected with the water just a few hundred meters away.

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Then this morning we left Barn Hill for Broome, Finally we get to relax and not driving nor shift the van for a few days, the drive was only 130 kms and was over in a flash. As we pulled up to our caravan park (Palm Grove Caravan Park), we payed our fee’s and head to our site 102. When we get there it was instantly obvious this spot wasn’t meant for vans, more so camper trailers or very small vans. After a few try’s to get it in the spot several other people can up to us and said that no one with a van has been able to successfully park here without the caravan park people coming and doing it, which is bullsh*t we booked this in January, so I got straight on the phone booked another caravan park which was better positioned and for only a $1 more a night we got an ensuite. We then hooked the caravan back up and went to the office for a full refund and a chance to display my true disappointment and then we headed for Broome Vacation Village, which we are just rapt with.

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Well I will endeavour to update over the next few days what we see and find in Broome, although I cant expect it to be any more than Booze, Beaches and Chillaxing, Oh and Tasha’s wedding of course.

Until Next Time

Your very relaxed Brownish Haired Nomads

The Mature Shane and Sherron Van Daele

Monday we left Denham to Coral Bay, it was a good drive and we arrived in Coral Bay at about 5pm.

We have been to Coral Bay before and it is much the same as before, except for the fact we are now
travelling in the Toy Hauler not paying exorbitant prices for a unit. We setup, relaxed and read our books, had a drink and I did a little work.

We then went to the Ningaloo Reef Resort Pub for tea, we had snacked during the day so neither of us were overly hungry, I had the best chicken ceaser salad ever. The prices were good and the service was quick.

Then Tuesday we woke up hoping someone was going to be leaving the Peoples Caravan Park early today as our booking was only for the Monday Night, so at 8.30 Sherron phoned the office and as luck would have it someone had left early, the only thing was we had to move bays which wasn’t an issue and only took us 20 mins.

After moving bays we just chillaxed reading and eating a fresh jam donut from the local bakery. In the afternoon after a nice salad roll for lunch we headed to the beach for a look, the water was a little chilly, so we declined a swim. I don’t like the beach much anyway just my luck a group of Japanese tourists would either harpoon me or some hippies would roll me back into the water, chanting save the whales .

We then did a bit more relaxing and headed to the Pub for another dinner, this time the place was packed. When we ordered 2 steaks, there was a sign that said dinner orders can take up to
30 mins. We ordered some drinks and sat down to wait, which was considerably shorter than expected as dinner was ready in less that 20 mins.

Tomorrow is a great day (MY BIRTHDAY!!!!) and we are heading to Cleaverville Beach which is a free camp.

I expect you all will be expecting a much more mature post tomorrow as I will be 28 so I will google some big words to use.

Until Tomorrow.

Shane and Sherron

Today we left Mandurah 4.50am. Sherron woke me at 4.30, I thought she was kidding when she woke me up but it was just Bloody early.

We had a good day driving, it ended up being about 950kms.We arrived at Denham at about 4.30 got set up and then headed to Monkey Mia to get some good sunset pics. Unfortunately some pictures we took on Sherron’s camera may never see the light of day as the memory stick seem to die today.

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We are going to have a look around this cute little town tomorrow morning then head to Coral Bay about 650km’s.

Until Tomorrow

Shane and Sherron (The not so grey haired Nomad’s.)

See what the girls get up to while you are gone.

Tonight Sherron and I are lucky to have a good friend and well travelled caravan couple round and help finalise the plan for our first road trip.

Sherron has worked hard with the plans but there is nothing like first hand experience.

We will update the site with out plans when they are settled finally.

SVD