Kalbarri and Monkey Mia

WA Coast - Rowdy Roadtrip Getting into the Groove

Late May

After a few salty, sandy, crusty days at Lucky Bay, we felt we had arrived. Warm weather, surf, a couple of feeds of fish, and morning coffee on the sand dunes....nice. Next stop Kalbarri.

We took the crazies for a bushwalk in the wonderful Kalbarri National Park with its beautiful gorges and flora.












 Riley ran, Nikita sketched like a frustrated landscape artist and Archie clamboured around on Paul's shoulders like a teenager at a Bon Jovi Concert.....totally relaxing!!! Hmm, short treks the key I reckon. Pretty speccy all the same.



                                   



Nature's Window

Rowdy Moments - week 4

The Good: Nikita squealing with delight as she rode her bike for the first time without training wheels to the applause of the grey nomads at Kalbarri Caravan Park.

The Bad: Trying to start the car with its `failsafe' dual battery system after a 3-day beach camp....Bastards.

The Ugly: Pack up morning...we've turned our lengthy disassembly to a slick, streamlined 3-bloody-HOUR pack up...with much love and joy shared among all.

Onwards and Upwards - chasing the sun

We stumbled on this litte gem - Whalebone Bay - on our way to Monkey Mia

 

                       All ours.....beautiful

Monkey Mia - Week 5

Do you reckon if I give one of my sweet, cheesy smiles, I'll get to feed the dolphins?

                                                             

 Yep, probably 3 times I reckon....

  Son of Paul....need I say more?

Rowdy Moments - Week 5

The Good: Riley taking to kyaking like a duck to water. And, despite its touristy nature, we found Monkey Mia to be surprisingly tranquil with its glassy turquoise bay perfect for a paddle and the odd sighting of a sea turtle and stingray

The Bad: Caravan parks. They just don't seem to work for us (except for doing the washing). We spend most of our time looking for Archie the explorer who has too many places to hide. A personal EPIRB may be the key.  

The Ugly: Archie's snakey poo on the floor of the backpackers' bar at Monkey Mia...oops forgot to put the nappy back on after beach play. Sorry Mr bartender, I'll just pop my hat over that while I find something to clean it up with. A fine parenting moment indeed!

Water so clear, you could be paddling on air.

I can't wait to knock it down when she's not looking...

Heading West

May, 2012

 

Exhausted, exhilarated and loaded to the hilt, the Craig Camel Train finally snakes its way down from Cherryville and off on its great Oz adventure on May 2, 2012. We only make it as far as Port Pirie!! But, at least we were away. Yippee!!

Ahh, the Flinders - now it feels like we're on holidays.












Are we there yet?.....11 months, 3 weeks, 5 days and counting!!

















Camp Craig at Coffin Bay. Geez, do we have some stuff. But, how do you cram a family of 5 and one year of a life into a 6 x 4 trailer.....lots of octopus straps.

First beach play Pt Lincoln....first medical centre visit. Spinning bike wheel, Archie's thumb.....bad combination.....yeow! Good start to our hospital tour of Oz














Ah, it's G&T o'clock. My favourite time of day - Coffin Bay















Good morning camp Craig.













 How's the coffee Craigy?



We send home 3 boxes of stuff from Coffin Bay, boost the suspension and we're off again - feeling lighter.











The Nullarbor

And they're off!! Across the Nullarbor that is....not the cliffs just yet!

Good to see your reading is improving Nikita!














First campfire on the Nullarbor - who's got the marshmallows














Bush camping across the Nullarbor....despite its name, Archie managed to find, climb and promptly fall out of his first tree.

Well, it's taken about 3500kms and a few days without showers, but the `changing' is occurring. Archie steadfastly refuses to wear shoes and I may, just possibly, have been spotted wearing socks beneath my thongs!! OMG. We are very excited to be at the beach. Coronation Beach near Geraldton to be precise with a nice casual crowd. A bit hippy/surfy and the caretaker a very cruisy character. He says we need to move on after a month....I love the sense of pace around here. Paul, of course, can't stand it.

 Free as a bird - Coronation Beach.

 

We got chatting to this nice weatherbeaten guy with a mullet and he gave us, well......a mullet and some directions to a local haunt.....Lucky Bay. It became home for a week. Lovely, pristine and all ours. Oh, yes, the tooth fairy managed to find it too!

 

 

Beach Brekky - Lucky Bay

 

School's In

School's out - Leanne Time!

 Paul Time