Camels on Cable Beach

Another iconic Broome image, is that of the camels walking along the beach as the sun sets over the water behind them. With nature-boy along, there was no other option than to have a ride, now was there? We decided to go for the slightly cheaper and shorter pre-sunset ride, giving us a half-hour stroll along the beach and the time to take photos of the actual sunset ones from a distance. Monica, Auntie Marj and Uncle Kevin came along to watch, which gave them the chance to have a drive on Cable Beach too. This was SUCH a chore for Dunc, who seems to have taken to beach driving with joy.

 Dunc and Lexie were on Aslan, the largest camel in all of Broome! Angus and I were on the one just ahead of his – Amos – which meant that our family were the first to load. The camels rise from their knees from the back to the front of the camel train so we didn’t get to watch anyone else before having to do it ourselves. Angus got quite a surprise at just how rocky it is when they get up. You have to lean right backwards with stiff arms and then lean forwards and then you are up. And really high up! Angus was not sure about whether he was happy or not, and I’m glad we were sharing a camel so I could reassure him. He didn’t take long to relax (“Just sit up straight and pretend it’s a wobbly chair”) and then loved the rest of the ride.

It was rather rockier than I remembered. The ride is bumpier than a horse as camels move both feet on each side at the same time. This leads to the swaying and bumping. Most animals move alternate feet, but camels and giraffes do not. I recalled the bumpy loading bit, but forgot how bumpy the walk itself is. Check out Mum and I on our camel in 1986. I was 13. LOVE that 80s fashion!

We wandered a fair way down the beach and then it was time to turn around and come back. 30 mins was the perfect length ride for us.

The shorter ride also meant that the in-laws got to watch and take pics and their wait at the car wasn’t too long. Dunc drove them home after a fairly busy day and then came back to take the sunset photos. The children and I stayed and walked up the beach to where we had seen some friends. Angus and his friend Riley decided to dig through to the centre of the Earth, and the girls had a ball rounding up every other child in the vicinity!

We ended up staying for a dinner of fish and chips on the beach – yet another social meal NOT at home. I was feeling guilty that we were not having our last dinner with the in-laws, but Dunc thought they were rather pleased at the thought of some quiet time at home to pack and prepare. And when we eventually got home, I baked them a banana cake for morning tea the next day to make up for it!

Numerous Nanas Bombard Bertha in Broome

The big day had finally arrived. Nana was coming! I can’t tell you how often I heard that. Both children were beside themselves, and Dunc was so excited he actually woke up early! Yet again we kicked ourselves at not having gotten a 7-seater, though when we bought Baby Bertha a few years ago, we never dreamed she would be collecting the relatives on the other side of the country in Broome. 7 people and 5 seats meant that we would have to do some ferrying, but fortunately the town is so little that it only takes 7 minutes to get anywhere, so that really wasn’t an issue.

  

Monica (Nana/Mum) arrived with her sister Auntie Marj and Uncle Kevin in tow. They had stopped over in Perth for some catching up with friends and it was just wonderful to have all 3 of them here to spend some time with us. As the children told me quite excitedly “Its just like having TWO Nanas!” (Apparently Uncle Kevin didn’t rate a mention…)

They started with a tour of Bertha, before exploring their own accommodation. We were staying in the Vacation Village caravan park – the ONLY one who had both a bus-sized site and a cabin for ‘the in-laws’ 10 weeks ago when I booked. Both Nanas got to hand out presents (always a highlight for the kids) including gifts from my mum and dad who had recently returned from an overseas trip. And we got our mail!! I LOVE mail drops, bit silly really.

We had a wonderful few days, pottering around town and seeing the sights. We went to the night market for the Staircase to the Moon and got to watch the incredible natural phenomenon which is the full moon in Broome. It rises over the mudflats of Roebuck Bay, and the light reflects off the water and looks like a stairway. It was an absolute highlight for Lexie, who had received a postcard with a photo quite some time ago. She had had the postcard up in her bedroom in Blackburn and it has been a ‘focus’ for her for a while. It was lovely to see her excitement build, and she just adored watching the moon rise. Monica and I were both amazed at how special it felt – it was lovely to be sharing such an overwhelmingly beautiful scene with such a crowd, and everyone was enjoying the same thing.

The crowd was larger than I expected, and I was glad that Dunc had dropped me off early with the kids and chairs to go back and get the others. Can you believe, this is what I actually said to the kids?

“Ok so pretty much everyone we have met lately should be in Broome now. Keep an eye out for: Fred and Lilly, Emily, Lucy, Jordyn, the other Jordyn and Riley, Charlotte and Meg, Ty and Ruby, Isaac, India, Erin, the other Charlotte and Jake, Zoe, Lily and Zane and pretty much any child you have ever met in WA!”

As well as the markets, we had some wonderful meals together including lunch out at the wonderful Shady Lane Café and Lexie cooked her favourite pumpkin and sweet potato soup once more. 

We saw a demonstration on pearl harvesting at the information centre and even went to the beach! Uncle Kevin and Auntie Marj were keen to do their own thing a bit, so Dunc dropped the children and I at Cable Beach so he could spend the afternoon with his mum. 

Whilst there, I noticed they hired out entire ‘family packages’ for a great day at the beach! Umbrella, 2 sun lounges, 2 boogie boards and a huge bag of sand toys for $35 for half a day. I negotiated to swap a boogie board for another chair and we were all set for the entire family to go to the beach. The children had a ball at the beach and Monica and Marj got to have a bit of a dip too. Marj even broke out the boogie board!

We also had a famous Cable Beach Camel Ride, but there are sooo many photos, that will have to be its own post…

The time seemed to fly by and then it was their last day. We had loved Broome so much, we decided to stay on a little longer. This meant that everyone got to have a ride on Bertha as Dunc relocated us to an overflow caravan park just down the street! There was just enough time for a quick cuppa before we had to drop them at the airport for their plane home. The airport in Broome is smack bang in the middle of town so we all waved as they flew off right overhead.