Back to Broome and have found what everyone is raving about....PARADISE!!!

After camping for 6 nights up in Cape Leveque we were glad to return to Broome to the caravan.  We ended up being able to park the van in the shed this time so we weren't baking in the sun.  When we rocked up we found that Ton and Cam were camped there, the girls were so excited to see Jordyn and Riley again, anyone would have thought they had been separated for years.  While we unpacked the car Ton and Cam took all the kids to the pool, which meant we had peace and quiet.  Didn't take us long to unpack, reckon l spent more time in the shower having a good clean!!! It was so nice and relaxing without the noise of the girls, had forgotten what it was like.

Camp site in Chris's shed....

We ended up spending 9 nights in total in Broome after returning from Cape Leveque, a bit longer than we thought but we ended up having so much fun.  A few nights in Big Bertha ended up joining us after the bus had to be towed from Fitzroy Crossing back to Broome after breaking down.  I felt for them as they rocked in, totally looking washed out and exhausted after the few massive days of worry and stress.  Still, now that they had arrived, it felt like a big communal living environment amongst travelling families and the kids had a ball.  Most mornings were spent doing school then followed up by heading down to Cable Beach for a swim and to catch some waves on the boogie board.  One morning we were there and l was taking a selfie of Marty and l with the GoPro and stupidly we hadn't looked behind us.  Just after taking the pic a big wave came and dumped on us, loosing my bloody sunnies!!!

Fun on the boogy boards....

Picking a winner Meg??

See the big wave behind us?  Before the wipe out!

Cable Beach...paradise.

Frisbee fun on the beach..

Boo's camel on Cable Beach...

Loved the clouds about...

Camel footprints..

Tyre treads in the sand...

 

Awesome sunset colors in the sky!

One morning we caught up with my old hairdresser from Shepparton who had moved to Broome a few years ago.  He had invited us out on his boat to take us mud crabbing and fishing.  We were all very excited and it was so nice of him to take time out of his day to show us around the foreshore of Broome.  I thought we would only be gone for a few hours, it ended up being over 4!! He took us from the boat ramp at the port out past Town Beach into the surrounding mangrove canals hugging Broome.  It was such a different perspective, l had no idea that the surrounding sea was full on these mangrove filled canals.  Felt like we were in alligator country in the USA!  Anyway, Jeremy took us around and we strategically placed the mud crab nets in his favourite places amongst the canals using lamp chops for bait.  Now they better be good bloody crabs to waste lamb chops on them!  The girls had a ball on the boat ride and putting the nets out.  When checking the nets, we got a few small ones but luckily caught a few keepers.  We were amazed that you put the crabs to sleep by putting them in a bucket full of ice!  After our little success with mud crabbing, Jeremy thought we could try our luck with some fishing.  The girls funnily got bored with the fishing, having snagged a few times and breaking the line, felt sorry for Jeremy who had to re-gig them all, but he didn't seem to mind.  He was so good with the girls, and even though l had never hung out with him back in Shepparton, it felt so comfortable hanging out together.  Anyway, Marty and l took over the rods and it was game on.  Marty got the first catch, pity it was too small to keep.  I, on the other hand, got the second catch and was a keeper!!!  Wahoo, Bell 1, Marty 0!  It was time to head back and Jeremy let the girls both have a drive of the boat on the way home, they both loved it!  Once we loaded the boat back on the trailer, Jeremy took the crabs and cleaned them for us.  We had never caught, cleaned or eaten them before, so thank god he offered to do it for us.  We said our goodbyes for now, thanking him profusely for the amazing morning out, and looked forward to catching up with him again before we left Broome.  We took the mud crabs home and cooked them as per Jeremy's chili mud crab recipe, both surprised at how delicious they were.  We shared them with the HardFirms and Big Bertha, who agreed how delicious they were.

Time to fish....thanks for Jeremy supplying the goods!

Marty's catch!  Not a keeper...

2nd catch for Marty....bit bigger!

Now that's a catch!

Chilli Mud Crabs thanks to Jeremy for catch and recipe!

Many nights we spent taking the cars down to Cable Beach and parking, having a few nibbles and drinks whilst the kids all played together.  We loved the scenery of camels walking by as the sun dropped off in the horizon.  One night we ended up down at Gantheum Point on the beach for something different.  The HardFirms, Big Bertha and us meandered on the back dirt road to the beach, with the Woods meeting us down there for nibbles.  The sunset was amazing and we spent a bit of time behind the cameras whilst the kids had a blast kicking the soccer ball around and throwing the Frisbee to one another.  After the Woods left we cooked our dinner on the beach and had a few too many drinks whilst waiting.  Ton had a great idea to experiment with a torch in the dark with the camera, she had just been on a photography teaching day out in Broome so wanted to try it out.  We had many laughs with Cameron not quite getting the process.  We had a blast writing the word 'Broome' with a torch, painting fairy wings on the girls with a torch and even a love heart behind Marty and l having a kiss.  The pics look amazing as you can see....

Who needs the official 'Staircase to the Moon'?

All the kids having a play...beach-time at its best!

Baby Bertha, HardFirms, Us and Woods Cruiser....

Y.M.C.A!!!

Angle Jordyn...

Fairy Meg...

Sacha's 'Broome' night writing...

"Lovers"!!!!

We were lucky that we had found the back way to Gantheum Point as we had had a bit to drink.  The ride home was slightly hairy with Marty turning the Nissan a bit too sharp and drifted slightly too fast on the sand.  Thankfully we all arrived safely home... Shortly after arriving home, Meg came to me with concerns of her wobbly tooth which we had been informed about for over a week now.  She wouldn't let us pull it out and we were all a little sick of hearing about it.  It was virtually hanging by a thread.  Having had a few drinks, and slightly tipsy, whilst she was showing me her tooth with her mouth open, l flicked the hanging tooth a bit too much.  It was like something in a movie going in slow motion.  I watched the tooth fall off as she shut her mouth and swallowed, which followed by a loud scream and frightening cry.  I couldn't help but start laughing whilst she stood crying so frightened.  I won 'Mother of the Year Award' once again, having to go around the corner because l couldn't stop laughing whilst Marty was left to deal with it not knowing what happened as he was over at the van at the time.  Everyone was trying to console her and looking on the ground for a tooth, whilst l tried to stop laughing and telling everyone the obvious, that she had swallowed it.  Finally we calmed her down and found out she was upset because she thought the tooth fairy wouldn't come to her. That night the tooth fairy came and left double the usual amount she would and a nice letter with it.  I felt so terrible, but you have to admit, it sounds hilarious!!!

Happy the next morning after the 'Tooth Fairy'
left a bit more than usual due to swallowing
her tooth (thanks to her mum!)...

We couldn't leave Broome without doing the famous Camel rides on Cable Beach.  We had some discount vouchers in our Broome book with the blue camel mob and we also received a free set of pearl earrings each, which the girls were equally excited about.  We arrived on the beach with the HardFirms and were greeted by the friendliest people.  The blokes introduced us to our camels and we were parred off according to weights, l was with Boo and Marty with Meg.  We had the great fortune of having the camel that didn't follow commands and got up and down straight after people had boarded him, his name was 'Boaz'.  Boo and l got on Boaz and as soon as we got on he rose up.  I squealed a little as l had forgotten the feeling of leaning forward so much as the back of the camel got up first followed by their front legs.  Boo took it all in her stride, but due to my little squeal Meg was now panicking and refused to get on their camel.  Marty's and Meg's camel was named 'Kabina' and was a beautiful natured camel.  After some convincing from the blue mob bloke, Meg boarded Kabina and up they went.  She ended up enjoying the rest of the ride until it was time to go down when she freaked out a little.  Our ride on the camel was fantastic and the blue crew made it all so more enjoyable.  They interacted with us the whole time and were great with the kids.  They grabbed our cameras and took pics of us on the camels for us.  We would highly recommend the Blue Camel rides to anyone visiting Broome over the yellow or red crew, who we had observed over many occasions on our sunset nights on the beach to be just leading the camels and not talking to anyone.  Anyway, the HardFirms and us had such a great time, so relaxing riding the camels, l could totally do this instead of on horses!  Well worth the $130 for half an hour plus souvenir photo, and don't forget the complementary pearl earrings!

'HardFirms' and us.....

Selfie time!

'Kabina', Meg, Marty, "Boaz" Boo and Me on the ride......

Panoramic camel  time.....

We had yet another beautiful day on Cable Beach where we met some other travelling friends of the 'HardFirms' the 'Friend' family.  All kids enjoyed playing, using any waste from the sea washed up on the beach to improvise in their games.  Most time was spent boogy boarding though whilst the adults moved around the car seeking shade.....

Another dead jellyfish!

One morning we headed off to the jetty to have a fish.  I had been on Marty's case about having a fish in Broome forever and l think he agreed to go down just to shut me up.  We had cast out our lines and instantly had bites.  Whilst trying to multi task, fish and taking pics on my phone, l nearly dropped the bloody phone in the ocean.  My heart leaped up in my throat, so it was packed away for the rest of the time.  We had an awesome time, l caught the first 'keeper' fish being a bloody big diamond trevally.  Meg caught a bloody huge Queenie in which Marty had to real it in for her as she nearly got pulled off the jetty.  Her rode was bent over itself l thought it would snap.  Luckily we had this bloke near us who knew what to do.  We had no idea that these ocean fish you had to bleed to kill them.  So up he came, both times, with his knife and rag and slit their artery, with blood pissing out everywhere.  Nearly made me sick really, and l'm a nurse.  Reckon he just loved killing things!  Anyway, saved us a job and the mess, the girls were fascinated though.  Marty unfortunately, although caught a few, had none big enough to keep.  Score, Me 2, Marty 1, Meg 1 and Boo 0.....  But we all had fun, we went and cleaned them at Gantheum Point and took them home where Marty cooked them in foil with lemon.  We invited everyone over to have a taste, we all filled our bellies and loved it all.  Still, for some reason, l love the fish from the shops rather than fresh.  Don't know if its a psycho-somatic reaction to seeing them killed and filleted?  I just gag with every mouthful.....

"Fisher-women"!!!

Meg's Queenie.

My golden trevally catch!

Nearing our final nights in Broome, we decided to head off to the crab races again at the Town Beach Village Bar.  We all went as a last harrar together, the HardFirms and Big Bertha.  The kids had a blast once more, we filled our bellies with the buffet roasts and got slightly tipsy with the happy hour drinks.  We had such good laughs, love these mates.  Bloody Jordyn one again, this time banking $130!!! Bloody lucky buggers.  In the two times we went to the crab races she won around $300!!! Anyway, we had a ball like always, gonna miss these guys.....

Marty being a comedian////

Cam, Ton, Me and Marty...adults only table!

Crab theme gone crazy!!!

Time to race!!! 

So our second time in Broome has really changed my view on the place.  In our first stay, l really didn't see what people were going on about and why they thought this place was worth raving over.  Now having been out and enjoyed the beaches and sights, l can totally see how people come and never leave.  I even tried to coax Marty into stopping for a short work stop, trying to bribe him with buying a tinnie while we stayed, but he wouldn't come to the party.  Said we hadn't been on the road long enough after our last work stop.  Reckon it was our time camped at Kris's with our mates the HardFirms and Big Bertha that made the second round amazing.  We had a good communal living environment with us all in the same area, the kids had a ball playing together, even getting the roller skates and scooters out for once.  We had a blast with our times on the beaches and fishing.  Just totally enjoyed getting amongst it and we have pencilled Broome in for a possible work stop on Lap 2!!!

Sunset.....

...Cam, kid at heart!!!

Bell Xxx